Arrangement options
According to the investigation of Lao Dong Newspaper reporters, since July 1, when the local authorities at both levels officially operate, 26 Project Management Boards (PMs) at commune and ward-level administrative units (formerly district, town and city) of Thanh Hoa province have been assigned to the Provincial People's Committee for management, continuing to perform tasks according to the area.
On September 18, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a document to the People's Committees of provinces and centrally run cities, requesting urgent review and development of a plan to reorganize public service units under its management.
The Ministry of Home Affairs requires each province and centrally-run city to have a maximum of 3 Project Management Boards under the Provincial People's Committee. Based on practical requirements, localities can establish inter-commune and ward LDA Boards or commune-level LDA Boards if necessary. The Project Management Boards must operate under a financial autonomy mechanism, ensuring their own operating costs.
In Thanh Hoa, there are currently 30 Project Management Boards under the Provincial People's Committee. To implement the direction of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the provincial Department of Home Affairs has submitted a document to the Provincial People's Committee on approving the plan to reorganize public service units and state-owned enterprises under the management of the province.
Accordingly, the Thanh Hoa Department of Home Affairs will develop 3 arrangement plans: Option 1: Establish 3 regional Project Management Boards under the Provincial People's Committee on the basis of arranging 3 specialized Project Management Boards and 26 existing regional Project Management Boards; at the same time, merge relevant departments to establish a Construction Investment Project Management Board under the Nghi Son Economic Zone and Industrial Parks Management Board.
Option 2: Establish 3 specialized Project Management Boards under the Provincial People's Committee; transfer 25/26 regional Project Management Boards to be directly under 3 specialized Project Management Boards of the province, operating according to the model of "public service unit in public service unit". In particular, the Nghi Son Construction Investment Project Management Board (formerly under the Nghi Son Town People's Committee) was transferred to the Nghi Son Economic Zone and Industrial Zones Management Board.
Option 3: There is a similar content to option 2, but the difference is that: transfer the status quo of 25/26 of the regional Project Management Board (excluding the Nghi Son regional Investment and Construction Project Management Board) to the People's Committee of the commune, central ward. These boards will perform the task of being investors, site clearance for projects of central communes and wards and perform the task of consulting and supporting project management for communes and wards in the old area.
Struggling to find a solution
At the regular meeting of the Provincial People's Committee in October 2025, the above plans have not yet been approved. The Chairman of the Thanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee continues to assign the Department of Home Affairs to preside over and coordinate with agencies, units and localities to study and complete the plan to arrange construction investment planning committees to have a basis for consultation and reporting to the Provincial People's Committee for consideration and decision.
On October 24, the Department of Home Affairs sent a document to departments, branches, sectors and units of communes and wards in the area to collect opinions on proposed appropriate arrangement plans.
The results of the consultation show that: there are 3 agencies, units and localities choosing option 1; 27 units choosing option 2 and 38 units choosing option 3.
Notably, 42 communes and wards proposed to add a plan: dissolving the regional management board, mobilizing and rotating cadres, civil servants and workers to the Public Service Supply Center under the People's Committee at the commune level to ensure the completion of the apparatus and full implementation of assigned functions and tasks.
From the results of the consultation, along with referring to the model of arranging the Project Management Board in many other localities and based on current regulations, the Thanh Hoa Department of Home Affairs has proposed to choose option 2 (while in the submission on October 17 to the Provincial People's Committee, this Department once proposed option 3).
With this new plan, the arrangement of 26 regional LDA boards (formerly the old district-level LDA boards) cannot be finalized. According to the Thanh Hoa Department of Home Affairs, the specific determination of whether the regional LDPs are under the provincial-level LDPs will be considered when developing a detailed project.
It is known that Thanh Hoa province currently has 1,727 people working at 30 Project Management Boards, of which 1,380 are civil servants and 347 are contract workers.
