HCM City — The HCM City People’s Committee plans to create a special mechanism for payment of land compensation and resettlement to implement a city Party Committee directive that calls for strengthening the role and efficiency of authorities in these tasks.

It said the mechanism should be closely linked to the implementation of the People’s Council’s Resolution 25 on how to carry out the National Assembly’s Resolution 54 on piloting special mechanisms and policies for development in HCM City.

Districts will carefully review, classify and submit their plans and specific solutions for land acquisition and timely compensation for projects approved under the 2013 Land Law.

They will focus on key and urgent works and projects under the seven breakthrough programmes set out in the Party Committee resolution at the 10th Congress.

The People’s Committee has tasked the Departments of Natural Resources and Environment (DoNRE), Construction, Transport, Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ground Clearance and Compensation Commission with providing advice on creating special mechanisms and policies for land compensation and resettlement for these works and projects.

The seven programmes, approved at the 10th Party Congress, include human resource quality improvement; administrative reform; creating a more competitive business climate; easing traffic; climate change response; reducing pollution; and urban refurbishment and development.

Of these, programmes to remove houses from the banks of rivers and canals, urban refurbishment and development, renovating and rebuilding old apartments, and tackling traffic and reducing accidents will get top priority.

The People’s Committee has also tasked the Department of Finance with creating a mechanism for smoothly paying land compensation and moving out occupants based on the master zoning plan to ensure there are unencumbered lands to auction to investors.

Now, without this process in place, investors who acquire lands from the city are often embroiled in litigation with owners over low prices and others.

In face of the situation, the DoNRE has requested relevant ministries and agencies to calculate land compensation in line with the market price when the Government recalls land for the development.

According to the Department, between 2011 and June 2018, as many as 133 projects in the city have failed in land compensation, support, and resettlement and could not recall land of over 27.7 million square meters for development. Some 24,500 people affected by these projects have refused to receive compensation or resettlement support.

Most projects have seen slow speed of site clearance and hand-over which leads to additional costs. Incomplete and fast-changing procedures have impeded the compensation process and as a result, residents have complained and filed lawsuits against relevant entities over the years. — VNS