Ho Chi Minh City is expected to have more than 80 commune-level administrative units.

The information was given by Mr. Nguyen Van Duoc, Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, at a working session with District 1 on the socio-economic situation in the area on the afternoon of March 19.

The city is making a plan to reorganize the city's political system according to Conclusion No. 127 of the Politburo and the Secretariat. Accordingly, the number of commune-level administrative units in the city after the reorganization must be reduced in proportion to the national total. Specifically, the country currently has 10,500 commune-level administrative units, which are expected to be reduced to 2,500. Ho Chi Minh City currently has 273 communes and wards, but after the reorganization, there will be more than 80.

For example, in District 1, Mr. Ta Hoai Nam, Head of the District Party Committee's Organization Board, said that the locality is considering two options: the district will be divided into 3 or 2 wards, and is leaning towards the option of establishing two new wards, including Ben Nghe (merging 3 existing wards) and Ben Thanh (merging 7 existing wards). This option maintains the administrative boundaries without having to re-divide.

Regarding the plan of District 1, Mr. Nguyen Van Duoc suggested that the locality should not limit the plan to the administrative boundaries of the district but should expand it to adjacent districts. For example, if District 3 has any areas similar in terms of boundaries, economy, population... if it is merged into Ben Thanh and Ben Nghe wards, it will be easier to manage and promote its strengths, then the district should propose it.

"The city is considering many options but is leaning towards the option of eliminating all boundaries to re-divide commune-level administrative units according to population size and terrain, opening up the best development space," said Mr. Duoc, adding that the method of re-dividing wards is to divide them according to inner-city and suburban areas, similar in socio-economic conditions, and not bound by administrative boundaries.

Ho Chi Minh City has just completed the arrangement of 80 wards according to the Resolution of the City People's Council passed last July. Currently, Ho Chi Minh City has 16 districts, 5 counties, 1 city with 273 wards, communes and towns.

According to Conclusion 127 issued on February 28 by the Politburo, the Secretariat and the Government Party Committee were assigned to coordinate with the Central Organization Committee, the National Assembly Party Committee, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Party Committee, central mass organizations and relevant agencies to study and develop a project and submission on merging a number of provincial-level administrative units, not organizing at the district level; and continuing to merge commune-level administrative units.

On March 11, the Government Party Committee agreed to submit to competent authorities a plan to merge and reduce 50% of provincial-level administrative units and 60-70% of grassroots-level units compared to present.