Land management will be decentralised to the grass-roots level governments. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE) has affirmed that it was implementing Decree 49/2026/NĐ-CP in a comprehensive manner, ensuring clear decentralisation and delegation of authority, smooth administrative procedures, and the timely removal of emerging obstacles, so as not to affect the rights and interests of citizens and businesses.

The decree issued by the Government on January 31, 2026 concretises the National Assembly Resolution No. 254/2025/QH15 on mechanisms and policies to remove difficulties and obstacles in the implementation of the Land Law.

The smooth flow of administrative procedures had been set as an overarching principle from the stage of drafting the decree, Mai Văn Phấn, deputy director General of the Land Administration Department, told the ministry’s regular press conference on Thursday in Hà Nội.

During the drafting and preparation for implementation of the decree, Deputy Prime Minister Trần Hồng Hà, repeatedly instructed to strongly decentralise and delegate authority to the commune level, while also requiring full preparation of conditions and procedures so that, once the decree takes effect, the receipt and processing of applications from citizens and businesses would not be interrupted or congested, he said.

After the decree 49 was issued, the MAE promulgated Decision No. 445 announcing the list of administrative procedures in accordance with the law, and issued guidance documents for localities on organising implementation and publicising administrative procedures under their authority.

Implementation has been carried out in a synchronous and continuous manner, with the aim of maximising convenience for citizens and businesses in conducting land-related procedures.

The MAE has also closely monitored implementation in localities from the very first days the decree took effect.

“The issues that arose were promptly addressed by the ministry and the specialised department, not only through written guidance but also through direct exchanges and working sessions with localities, in order to ensure that the implementation of the decree was not disrupted,” Phấn said.

The ministry stressed that the land sector has direct and far-reaching impacts on national defence and security as well as socio-economic development.

Therefore, any difficulties or obstacles arising during the implementation of the decree must be handled immediately and thoroughly, without delay, to avoid affecting the lawful rights and interests of citizens and businesses and the overall development activities of localities.

In addition to Decree 49, the Government has also issued Decree 50/2026/NĐ-CP on clarifications on land finance policies.

Under the new regulations, exemptions or reductions in land use fees when converting land use purposes from agricultural land or garden and pond land to residential land are to be applied only once for each household or individual, on a single land parcel selected by the land user.

Conversions involving other land parcels or subsequent conversions will not be eligible for preferential treatment and will be required to pay one hundred per cent of the land use fee differential in accordance with regulations in force at the time permission for conversion is granted.

Land users must commit to and take responsibility for their choice of land parcel eligible for preferential treatment.

In cases of incorrect declarations, competent authorities will reassess financial obligations in accordance with the law. — VNS