On the morning of April 15, in Kon Plong district, Kon Tum province, the Standing Committee of Kon Tum Provincial Party Committee and the Standing Committee of Quang Ngai Provincial Party Committee held a conference to implement the Central policy on the merger of the provincial administrative unit.
Attending the conference were Ms. Bui Thi Quynh Van - Secretary of Quang Ngai Provincial Party Committee; Mr. Duong Van Trang - Secretary of Kon Tum Provincial Party Committee and key leaders of the two provinces.
The meeting discussed and agreed on the establishment of joint working groups between the two provinces to perform the tasks assigned by the Central Government, in order to proceed to form a new province. Working groups include: Working groups on administrative units; Working groups on organizational, apparatus and payroll; Working group on cadres; Local policy working group; Working group on public offices and properties; The working group of finance and budget.
The two sides also discussed the appointment of Unit officials to coordinate between the corresponding agencies of the two provinces to facilitate the exchange and settlement of jobs related to the merger process. These agencies include: Provincial Standing Committee; Party Committee of the Provincial People's Committee; Party Committee of the provincial Party agencies; Organizing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee and Department of Home Affairs.
The conference also commented on the first draft of the project and the plan to merge the two provinces. At the same time, the delegates agreed on the schedule and venue to organize meetings between the two Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee from now until September 1, 2025.
It is expected that Quang Ngai province will arrange public assets to work as a working office and public house for officials from Kon Tum when the province has just been established.
Quang Ngai province currently has an area of more than 5,000 km², including 13 districts with 170 communes, a population of about 1.5 million people. This is one of the leading localities in budget revenue in the Central region, with the nucleus is the Dung Quat oil refinery and industrial parks that attract foreign investment capital. In addition, Quang Ngai also has strengths in sea tourism, especially Ly Son island district. The province currently has 31 wharf and expected to be raised to 41 in the coming time.
Kon Tum province has an area of nearly 10,000 km², including 9 districts and 102 communes, a population of about 700,000 people. The province has advantages in forest and agriculture and forestry. Mang Den tourist area is like the version of Dalat thanks to the cool climate, pine forest and cherry blossom forest associated with unique culture. Kon Tum also owns Bo Y border gate adjacent to Laos.
Currently, the two provinces are connected by Highway 24, passing Vi O Lak Pass. Recently, Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh has assigned the Project Management Board 85 to prepare investment in the Quang Ngai - Kon Tum highway project, 136 km long, with a total investment of more than 35,000 billion VND, expected to be implemented in the period of 2025 - 2028. When completed, this highway will shorten the travel time between the two provinces, and create a quick and synchronous connection between the two Northern and Southern highways.
