From March 1, provinces will have no more than 14 departments
The Government has just issued Decree No. 45/2025/ND-CP dated February 28, 2025 regulating the organization of specialized agencies under the People's Committees of provinces and centrally run cities and People's Committees of districts, towns and cities.
The Decree stipulates that 12 departments are organized uniformly in localities including: Home Affairs; Justice; Finance; Industry and Trade; Agriculture and Environment; Construction; Science and Technology; Culture, Sports and Tourism; Education and Training; Health; Provincial Inspectorate; People's Committee Office.
In addition, there are special departments organized in some localities including: Foreign Affairs, Ethnicity and Religion, Tourism. The Department of Planning and Architecture was established in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
Regarding the number of departments under the Provincial People's Committee, the Government stipulates that Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are organized with 15 departments and are allowed to decide on the establishment, reorganization, renaming, and dissolvement of departments, ensuring compliance with local characteristics, regulations of the Capital Law and relevant legal documents.
"For other provinces and cities, no more than 14 departments are allowed to be organized," the decree stated.
Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are allowed to increase no more than 10 Deputy Directors of Departments
According to the Government's decree, the Department Director is appointed by the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, responsible to the People's Committee, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee and before the law for performing the functions, tasks and powers of the Department according to the working regulations and assignment of the Provincial People's Committee.
The Deputy Director of the Department is appointed by the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee at the request of the Department Director, assisting the Department Director in performing one or a number of specific tasks assigned by the Department Director and being responsible to the Department Director and before the law for performing assigned tasks.
Regarding the number of Deputy Directors of departments, the Government stipulates that each department has an average of 3 Deputy Directors. Based on the number of departments established and the total number of Deputy Directors, the Provincial People's Committee shall decide on the specific number of Deputy Directors of each department accordingly.
In Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City alone, in addition to the total number of Deputy Directors according to the general average, each city will have no more than 10 Deputy Directors.
According to the decree, when arranging the state apparatus organization, if the number of deputy heads of agencies, organizations and units is greater than the maximum number prescribed by law, no later than 5 years from the effective date of the decision to reorganize the apparatus by the competent authority, the number of deputy heads of agencies, organizations and units must comply with regulations.
District People's Committees have no more than 10 departments
Decree 45/2025 stipulates that the department is a specialized agency under the People's Committee at the district level.
9 specialized departments are organized uniformly at the district level including: Internal Affairs; Justice; Finance - Planning; Education and Training; Economics, Infrastructure and Urban Areas; Culture, Science and Information; Health; District Inspectorate; People's Council and People's Committee Office.
The Government stipulates 4 specialized departments at the district level including: Natural Resources and Environment in districts, towns, cities under provinces, cities under centrally-run cities; Agriculture and Environment in districts; Ethnicity and Religion; specialized agencies in island districts.
The Decree clearly states that based on the above regulations and the requirement for state management of sectors, fields, and localities to decide on the establishment of departments accordingly, ensuring no more than 10 departments.
The head of the department is appointed by the Chairman of the District People's Committee, responsible to the District People's Committee, the Chairman of the District People's Committee and before the law for performing the functions, tasks and powers of the department.
The Deputy Head of the Department is the one who helps the Head of the Department direct some aspects of work and is responsible to the Head of the Department for assigned tasks. On average, each room has 2 Deputy Heads of Departments.
The Decree takes effect from March 1.
