The draft Decree of the Government regulating the organization of specialized agencies under the People's Committees of provinces and centrally run cities and the organization of specialized agencies under the People's Committees of districts, towns and cities under provinces and centrally run cities has just been sent by the Ministry of Home Affairs to the Ministry of Justice for appraisal.
Article 9 of the Draft Decree clearly states about specific departments organized in some localities.
In which, the Department of Planning and Architecture was established in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. This department has the function of advising and assisting the City People's Committee in performing the state management function of construction planning and architecture.
Notably, the Ministry of Home Affairs proposed that in case Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City do not have separate Departments of Planning and Architecture, they should merge and transfer their functions and tasks to the Department of Construction.
The draft also sets out criteria for organizing three other specific departments in some localities, including the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religions, and the Department of Tourism.
In which, the Department of Foreign Affairs advises and assists the Provincial People's Committee in performing the state management function on foreign affairs and national border and territorial affairs (for provinces with borders).
The Department of Foreign Affairs is established when it meets one of the following criteria: Having an international land border gate; having an international air border gate; having an international seaport; having 500 or more foreign investment projects (or having a total foreign investment capital of over 100,000 billion VND) operating in the locality, having over 4,000 foreigners currently living and working in the locality, having an annual import-export turnover of 100,000 billion VND or more, having signed international cooperation agreements with 5 or more localities.
For localities that do not have a separate Department of Foreign Affairs, merge and transfer functions and tasks to the Office of the Provincial People's Committee.
The Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religion advises and assists the Provincial People's Committee in performing the state management function on ethnic, belief and religious affairs.
This Department is established when meeting all the following criteria: There are at least 20,000 ethnic minorities living in concentrated village communities; there are at least 5,000 ethnic minorities in need of the State's focus on helping and supporting development; there are ethnic minorities living in areas of importance to security and national defense; areas of intercropping and inter-residential areas; the border has a large number of ethnic minorities from our country and neighboring countries regularly traveling back and forth.
For localities that do not have a separate Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religions, the Ministry of Home Affairs proposes merging and transferring functions and tasks to the Department of Home Affairs.
The Department of Tourism advises and assists the Provincial People's Committee in performing the function of state management in the field of tourism and is established when meeting the following criteria: Having a tangible cultural heritage recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site or having outstanding tourism resources and potential (having a national tourist area, national tourist destination or tourist urban area, large-scale and prominent sightseeing and resort); the tourism industry is identified as a key economic sector and has economic value from tourism contributing to the local annual gross domestic product (GDP) with a proportion of 10% or more for 5 consecutive years.
Localities that do not have their own Department of Tourism will merge, transfer functions and tasks to the Department of Culture and Sports and change the name to the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
