On the afternoon of March 27, in Hanoi, the Government Electronic Information Portal organized a seminar "Capital Law (amended): Institutional motivation for Hanoi to break through".
At the seminar, Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly's Law and Justice Committee Nguyen Phuong Thuy said that one of the goals of amending the Capital Law this time is to further promote decentralization and delegation of power to Hanoi City. The important thing is not the number but the scope of decentralization.
Regarding organizational structure and personnel, the city can make more flexible decisions on the organization of agencies under the city-level government as well as grassroots levels. The city is also entitled to regulate and adjust contents related to the functions and tasks of agencies; is more flexible in determining staff, in determining job positions as well as having appropriate cadre mechanisms.
These things will create conditions for Hanoi to develop a contingent of civil servants with sufficient capacity and motivation to work.
Regarding institutions and policies, Hanoi not only implements general provisions of law but is also empowered to issue regulations, even other or not yet stipulated in legal normative documents of higher-level state agencies.
In which, it is possible to pilot a number of other mechanisms and policies stipulated by law. This is a very large change in thinking and creating a space for innovation and creativity so that Hanoi can develop breakthroughly.
Regarding urban space planning and management, Hanoi is allowed to build, decide and adjust plans.
The draft law also has regulations related to the management of underground space, low-lying space, and elevated space. This will be the key to handling hot urban issues today such as traffic or infrastructure overload or urban population expansion.
Regarding finance and investment, the draft law introduces mechanisms for Hanoi to be allowed to retain a part of the increased revenue and proactively decide on large projects.
This will help Hanoi significantly shorten processes as well as not be too dependent on intermediaries at higher levels.
Vice Chairman of Hanoi People's Committee Truong Viet Dung said that this draft Capital Law has opened up a very important foundation which is an urban financial tool. From exploiting low-lying space, high-lying space to developing TOD traffic networks (urban development oriented towards public transport).
Previously, according to Prime Minister's Plan 1668 on the planning of the Capital, we expected about 15 railway lines, with a scale of about 600km and a cost of about 55 billion USD.
Up to this point, in the process of calculation, it is expected that in the new phase, there will be about 19 railway lines with a total scale of nearly 900km and capital of about 86 billion USD.
To implement this, we need resources. This Capital Law allows us to exploit from the TOD source. Currently, it is expected that in the plan there will be 5 national TODS with about 100ha each TOD, about 23 regional-level TODS (scale of about 50ha) and the remaining 134 TODS.
Thus, the total TOD is estimated at about 5,000ha. The value of exploiting this TOD is resources. This means not increasing money but assigning Hanoi the right to mobilize resources and decide on this.
We are not borrowing money to build a Metro, but Metro itself creates resources to develop the urban core," Mr. Truong Viet Dung emphasized.
