Merging administrative units (UAs) is not only aimed at streamlining the organization and adjusting boundaries, but more importantly, creating conditions to reorganize the development space, improve management capacity, unlock resources and strengthen regional linkages.
The whole country currently has 705 commune-level administrative units that have not met the standards. However, the Central Government does not raise the issue of rearranging and adjusting the administrative boundaries of communes, because basically the entire system is operating stably and effectively. Localities that find it really necessary to adjust should propose to competent authorities for decision.
In Tay Ninh, the Provincial Department of Home Affairs is in the process of reviewing commune-level administrative units that do not meet the standards according to regulations or units that are not suitable for the operation process after arrangement.
The review is carried out according to Conclusion No. 76 dated July 28, 2026 of the 14th Party Central Committee on continuing to improve and effectively operate the overall organizational model of the political system and the 2-level local government model.
Based on the standards and procedures of the Central Government, the planning orientation of the province and the specific characteristics of each locality, Tay Ninh will direct specialized agencies to develop a Project on arranging UAs at commune level when truly necessary.
This process will be carried out cautiously, scientifically, towards high consensus and without disrupting people's lives.
Notably, if there is an arrangement plan, these plans will be reported to competent authorities for consideration and decision before implementation.
In Ho Chi Minh City, on August 13, the Office of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee sent a document to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Home Affairs conveying the opinions of the leaders of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee on continuing to study the plan to arrange commune-level administrative units in the city.
According to the direction of Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong, the Department of Home Affairs is assigned to preside over and coordinate with the Organization Committee of the City Party Committee and relevant agencies and units to review administrative units that do not fully meet standards and conditions or have unreasonable issues arising during operation.
The review must be based on criteria, principles, conditions and procedures prescribed by the Central Government. On that basis, the city will develop an adjustment plan in case of real necessity, ensuring science, prudence, creating social consensus and minimizing disruption.
The Department of Home Affairs is responsible for advising the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee to submit to the Standing Committee of the Party Committee of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee to report to the Standing Committee of the City Party Committee for consideration and policy approval. This content is required to be completed before August 25, 2026.
In Quang Ngai province, the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee has just issued an official dispatch requesting the Provincial Party Committee and People's Committee to urgently review commune-level administrative units that lack criteria on natural area, population size according to regulations and inadequacies in leadership, direction, and administration of local socio-economic development.
In the process of reviewing, the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee requested to pay due attention to urban areas, communes that were previously district centers with potential to become wards, planning the development of economic zones and national tourist areas according to the goals and specific targets of the Resolution of the Provincial Party Committee Executive Committee of term I, term 2025-2030.
At the same time, develop a comprehensive plan to adjust commune-level administrative units for units lacking criteria on natural area and population size and commune-level administrative units that need to be adjusted to overcome inadequacies arising in the operation process in order to expand development space, economic zones, and tourist areas.
The goal is to form commune-level urban administrative units with core characteristics, leading development in the region. For communes that were formerly district centers and have the potential to develop into wards, the completion of administrative units needs to be associated with planning, synchronous infrastructure investment, promoting urbanization, creating new development momentum and meeting the sustainable development requirements of the province.
The Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee requests to complete the development of the plan before August 31, 2026.
