Voters in Quang Ngai province said that before the merger, Di Lang town was the administrative - political center of Son Ha district (old administrative unit) and was planned to develop into a type IV urban area by 2023 (up to now, 39/49 standards of a type IV urban area have been met).
From July 1, 2025, Son Ha district has been dissolved, Son Bao, Son Thuong communes and Di Lang town are merged into the current Son Ha commune.
However, after removing the district level, continuing to invest, maintain and develop Di Lang urban area has previously encountered many difficulties, lacking a legal basis and appropriate coordination mechanism.
From that practice, to continue developing urban areas after merging administrative units at 02 levels, it is recommended that the Government direct relevant ministries and branches to promptly issue specific instructions on maintaining or upgrading urban areas that were once district centers, but are no longer at district level after the merger; allowing provinces and localities to develop zoning plans and detailed plans specifically for the previous urban construction area (old Di Lang town) as a basis for investment, urban renovation and development in the next period; and continue to support medium-term public investment, target program capital, ODA... for items that were unfinished in Di Lang town before.
After studying, the Ministry of Construction responded as follows:
The Politburo and the Secretariat issued Conclusion No. 174-KL/TW dated July 4, 2025 on a number of tasks to continue building the organization and operation of 02 level administrative units to ensure smoothness and efficiency.
In particular, the Government Party Committee is assigned to lead and direct the Government to issue regulations on administrative unit standards, classification of administrative units and urban classification in accordance with the development requirements of the new period.
In addition, on July 31, 2025, the Central Organizing Committee issued Official Letter No. 9151-CV/BTCTW on the implementation of the conclusions of the Politburo and the Secretariat.
Accordingly, the task of issuing regulations on urban classification is to be completed before August 31, 2025.
Currently, the Ministry of Construction is urgently implementing the development of a Resolution of the National Assembly Standing Committee on urban classification (replacing Resolution No. 1210/2016/UBTVQH13 dated May 25, 2016 and Resolution No. 26/2022/UBTVQH15 dated September 21, 2022) according to Conclusion No. 174 KL/TW of the Politburo, the Secretariat and Official Dispatch No. 9151-CV/BTCTW of the Central Organizing Committee, reporting to competent authorities for consideration and decision to ensure the assigned progress.
Regarding the establishment of zoning plans and detailed plans for urban construction areas (for the old Di Lang town, currently in Son Ha commune).
Clause 1, Article 59 of the Law on Urban and Rural Planning 2024 stipulates: "Construction planning, urban planning, and separate urban designs approved before the effective date of this Law shall continue to be effective until the effective date of the planning according to the provisions of this Law".
Clause 21, Article 2 of the Law on Urban and Rural Planning 2024 stipulates: "The validity period of urban and rural planning is the period of time calculated from the time the planning is approved until the planning period expires or the plan is adjusted overall or expires according to the provisions of this Law".
Based on the above regulations, the People's Committee of Quang Ngai province is responsible for reviewing urban planning and construction planning approved in accordance with the law on construction and urban planning. If there is no adjustment when implementing the arrangement of administrative units at all levels and local government organizations at 02 levels, it is allowed to continue to be implemented until the effective period of the planning is over or until the planning is comprehensively adjusted and used as a basis for establishing zoning plans and detailed planning according to the provisions of the previous urban and rural planning law for the old urban area (old Di Lang town).
In addition, to remove obstacles in implementing the arrangement of administrative units at all levels and local government organizations at 02 levels, dated July 18, 2025, Resolution No. 66.1/2025/NQ-CP of the Government stipulates handling difficulties and obstacles in establishing new, adjusting and approving zoning plans for urban areas when implementing the arrangement of administrative units at 02 levels and local government organizations at 02 levels (abbreviated as Resolution 66.1) stipulates that for urban areas that play a role in promoting local socio-economic development, with a forecast population size of 10,000 people or more for provinces formed after the arrangement in mountainous areas, high-lying areas, border areas; from 21,000 people or more for provinces formed after the arrangement.
Accordingly, for the above urban areas, new zoning plans can be established and adjusted at the same time as the process of establishing and adjusting provincial plans or general urban plans and approved before approving provincial plans and general urban plans.
After approval, the zoning plan is updated and integrated into the provincial planning and urban master planning to ensure consistency and synchronization.
Accordingly, the People's Committee of Quang Ngai province will study and review the nature of the former urban construction area (old Di Lang town), if it is an urban area that plays a role in promoting local socio-economic development and has a population size in accordance with the provisions of Resolution 66.1, then it can be considered for zoning planning according to the procedures in Article 3 of Resolution 66.1.
