Since Decree 76/2019/ND-CP was issued, many officials and public employees have been extremely confused when “particularly disadvantaged coastal communes” were no longer mentioned in the Decree, but instead, it refers to “particularly disadvantaged island communes.” So, what is a particularly disadvantaged island commune? And which particularly disadvantaged island communes will benefit from policies under Decree 76/2019/ND-CP?
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Decision 569/QD-TTg of 2014, issued by the Prime Minister of the Government of Vietnam on April 22, 2014, specifically stipulates the criteria, conditions, and procedures for recognizing island communes. To be recognized as an island commune, the following 02 criteria must be met:
- Having a natural area as an island (a natural land area surrounded by water, remaining above water at high tide);
- Having residents or stationed armed forces on the island.
An administrative unit at the commune level recognized as an island commune must meet one of the following 03 conditions:
- Being an administrative unit at the commune level under a district-level administrative unit already recognized as an island district.
- Having all of its natural area and population on an island.
- Having a part of its natural area as an island (commune with an island at sea) and having residents or stationed armed forces on the island.
Based on the above standards and conditions to determine island communes, the policies towards such communes are detailed as follows:
- Island communes recognized according to the above criteria and conditions will have the district-level People's Committee with island communes base on Decision 568/QD-TTg to develop a socio-economic development project for the commune to submit to the competent authority for approval according to regulations, ensuring suitability with the actual situation and the local budget; they will also implement other preferential policies issued by the Government of Vietnam and the Prime Minister of the Government of Vietnam for island communes.
- Island communes belonging to island districts currently implementing specific preferential policies will continue to implement these policies.
- Particularly for especially difficult island communes according to Decision 539/QD-TTg, the preferential policies for especially difficult communes will be implemented.
However, Decision 539/QD-TTg of 2013 only approved the list of especially difficult communes in coastal and island regions for the period 2013-2015. The Prime Minister has now signed a document approving the next phase, Decision 131/QD-TTg of 2017 approving the list of especially difficult communes in coastal and island regions for the period 2016-2020 (amended and supplemented by Decision 596/QD-TTg of 2018 and Decision 1421/QD-TTg of 2018).
Thus, officials and public employees working in especially difficult island communes listed in Decision 131/QD-TTg of 2017 will enjoy the policies under Decree 76/2019/ND-CP.
Hai Thanh
