Land management must be strengthened: top legislator

• Hanoi’s National Assembly deputies meet voters
• National Assembly concludes year-end session

A question and answer session of the meeting (Source: VNA)

Concluding the Q&A session on June 5 for the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, the top legislator particularly called attention to the assessment of the enforcement of land-related laws and the inspection and supervision of land management, especially land for public purposes in major cities. 

She required the Government to take measures to curb land speculation which may cause adverse impacts on the property market.

The NA Chairwoman urged more efforts to streamline administrative procedures in land management, promptly establish a land database within the roadmap set for e-Government building, study suitable methods of land evaluation, and address land-related complaints, petitions and disputes. 

She also requested competent agencies to heed the assessment of environmental impacts, while implementing environmental observation and warning programmes, especially in big cities, key economic zones and environmentally vulnerable areas. 

Ministries and sectors must keep close supervision of activities of businesses, big industrial parks and those located along rivers and beaches with potential threats to the environment, as well as industrial clusters at localities. 

To reduce potential threats to the environment, Chairwoman Ngan asked relevant agencies to classify investors and stop projects using outdated technologies, causing environmental pollution. 

The inspection and settlement of violations of environmental protection law should be intensified, with attention paid to unannounced inspections, she noted. 

Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung also addressed the Q&A session to give explanations on issues in the field of natural resources and the environment that drew interest of NA deputies and voters. 

The Deputy PM admitted to limitations in land planning and use, such as a lack of attention to public space and the failure to follow land use planning and urban planning. The use of land for wrong purpose, illegal construction and encroachment of public land remained unchecked, he said, mentioning the illegal land trading and construction in Phu Quoc, Bac Van Phong and Van Don. 

Another problem is the inaccurate evaluation of land value in urban development projects, which caused great losses of State assets and capital. 

In order to strengthen land management, the Deputy PM outlined some measures, including reviewing land planning schemes, giving more land for transport and public places.

He stressed transparency in plans on tourism, urban and service development to encourage the public to involve in management and monitoring their implementation. 

Dung also emphasized the need to stop the illegal land trading in Phu Quoc, Bac Van Phong and Van Don.

During the Q&A session, 59 deputies put questions to the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment and 17 others joined in the debate.