New regulations on specialized departments at the district level in Vietnam according to Decree 45/2025

New regulations on specialized departments at the district level in Vietnam according to Decree 45/2025​ (Image from the Internet)

On February 28, 2025, the Government of Vietnam issued Decree 45/2025/ND-CP regulating the organization of specialized agencies under the People's Committee of provinces, centrally-run cities, and the People's Committee of districts, urban districts, district-level towns, provincial cities, cities under centrally-run cities.

New regulations on specialized departments at the district level in Vietnam according to Decree 45/2025

Article 16 of Decree 45/2025/ND-CP stipulates the unique professional departments at the district level as follows:

- Department of Natural Resources and Environment in urban districts, district-level towns, provincial cities, cities under centrally-run cities.

To advise and assist the People's Committee of urban districts, district-level towns, provincial cities, cities under centrally-run cities in performing the state management functions on: Land; water resources; mineral resources; environment; sea and islands (for administrative units with seas and islands); disaster prevention and control; poverty reduction and agriculture (if any).

For district-level towns in provinces, centrally-run cities, the locality decides whether to establish the Department of Natural Resources and Environment as stipulated in Clause 1, Article 16 of Decree 45/2025/ND-CP or the Department of Agriculture and Environment as stipulated in Clause 2, Article 16 of Decree 45/2025/ND-CP, ensuring conformity with local characteristics.

- Department of Agriculture and Environment at district level: To advise and assist the People's Committee of districts in performing the state management functions on: Land; water resources; mineral resources; environment; sea and islands (for administrative units with seas and islands); agriculture; forestry; salt industry; irrigation; fisheries; rural development; disaster prevention and control; poverty reduction; quality, food safety for agricultural products, forest products, aquatic products, salt; development of household economy, rural farm economy, cooperative economy associated with rural trades and crafts.

- Department of Ethnic and Religious Affairs

To advise and assist the district-level People's Committee in performing state management functions on ethnic and religious beliefs.

The Department of Ethnic and Religious Affairs is established when meeting the following criteria:

+ There are at least 5,000 ethnic minority people who need focused assistance and development support from the State;

+ Ethnic minorities reside in key areas concerning security and national defense; mixed areas; borders where ethnic minorities from our country and neighboring countries frequently cross.

For localities that do not organize a separate Department of Ethnic and Religious Affairs, the functions and tasks are merged and transferred to the Department of Home Affairs.

- Specialized agencies in island districts: Based on the specific conditions of each island district, the district-level People's Committee presents to the same-level People's Council to decide on the number and names of specialized departments under the island district People's Committee, ensuring not exceeding 10 departments.

More details can be found in Decree 45/2025/ND-CP, which comes into effect from March 1, 2025, replacing Decree 24/2014/ND-CP of the Government of Vietnam regulating the organization of specialized agencies under the People's Committee of provinces, centrally-run cities, Decree 107/2020/ND-CP of the Government of Vietnam amending and supplementing some articles of Decree 24/2014/ND-CP, Decree 37/2014/ND-CP of the Government of Vietnam regulating the organization of specialized agencies under the People's Committee of districts, urban districts, district-level towns, provincial cities, Decree 108/2020/ND-CP of the Government of Vietnam amending and supplementing some articles of Decree 37/2014/ND-CP.

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