Việt Nam restructures provincial departments for efficiency, capping numbers at 14

Minister of Home Affairs Phạm Thị Thanh Trà speaks at Thursday's meeting on organisational restructuring. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued guidelines on restructuring provincial departments across the country.

The goal is to cap the total number of departments in every province and city at 14, with an exception for Hà Nội and HCM City, which may have up to 15.

Under these new directives, ten departments will be merged into five to create a more efficient system.

The Department of Planning and Investment will merge with the Department of Finance to form the Department of Economic and Financial Affairs.

The Department of Transport and the Department of Construction will combine as the Department of Construction and Transport.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment will integrate with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to become the Department of Agriculture and Environment.

The Department of Information and Communications will join the Department of Science and Technology, forming the Department of Science, Technology, and Communications.

The Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs will merge with the Department of Internal Affairs to establish the Department of Internal Affairs and Labour.

These merged departments will inherit the full responsibilities of their predecessors, ensuring continuity in State functions.

The Department of Health will take on responsibilities related to social protection, children’s welfare and public health oversight from the former Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, and take charge of the Children Protection Fund.

Meanwhile, the Department of Education and Training will absorb the vocational training functions.

The Department of Industry and Trade will take control of the Market Surveillance Agency, previously under central control, and reorganise it into the Market Surveillance Division.

Certain departments with unique functions will be subject to targeted reforms.

Provincial authorities can either merge the Department of Foreign Affairs into the People's Commitee Office or streamline its internal operations to improve efficiency.

The Department of Planning and Architecture will merge into the Department of Construction and Transport, with an exception for Hà Nội and HCM City, which may retain the Department of Transport and merge the Department of Planning and Architecture into the Department of Construction as local needs dictate.

Ethnic Minority Committee will be restructured into the Ethnic and Religious Affairs Committee, incorporating responsibilities for religious affairs from the former Department of Internal Affairs and poverty reduction from the former Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs.

Provincial authorities can either merge the Department of Tourism with the Department of Culture and Sports to form the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, or retain the department and streamline its internal operations.

The Department of Food Safety can be either retained or dissolved. If it is dissolved, its functions and responsibilities for food safety will be transferred to the Department of Health.

Its sector-specific management tasks will be redistributed among the Department of Health, the Department of Industry and Trade, and the Department of Agriculture and Environment.

The other departments will be maintained but undergo internal restructuring and streamlining to enhance operational efficiency, including the Department of Justice, Provincial Inspectorate and the People's Committee Office. — VNS