At a press conference on the afternoon of 18/6, Nguyen Huu Thanh, Deputy Director of the Local Government Department (Ministry of Home Affairs), stated that all 34 provinces and cities have completed their overall plans for arranging villages and residential groups. These localities are currently collecting public feedback as regulated.

According to Thanh, non-specialized personnel made redundant after the reorganization will receive benefits under Decree 154 on personnel downsizing. For those who continue in their roles, local authorities will implement a fixed allowance mechanism, ensuring support levels are appropriate for each position and actual conditions.

The Ministry of Home Affairs reported that it has not yet received any feedback from localities regarding difficulties related to population size or area criteria, or challenges in developing the reorganization plans.

Nguyen Huu Thanh, Deputy Director of the Local Government Department, at the press conference on the afternoon of 18/6. *Photo: Manh Quan*

By the end of 2021, the country had over 90,000 villages and residential groups, comprising about 69,500 villages and 20,900 residential groups, with nearly 298,000 non-specialized personnel.

Under Decree 185/2026, the government stipulates that villages in Hanoi and TP HCM must have a minimum of 500 households, and residential groups a minimum of 700 households. This represents an increase of 200 households for villages and 250 households for residential groups compared to previous regulations.

Specific household requirements vary by region. In the Northern Midlands and Mountainous region, villages must have at least 150 households and residential groups 300 households. The Red River Delta region requires 400 households for villages and 550 for residential groups. The North Central Coast region specifies 350 and 450 households, respectively.

Villages in the South Central Coast and Central Highlands regions require a minimum of 300 households, with residential groups needing 450 households. The Southeast and Mekong Delta regions both apply a standard of 400 households for villages and 550 for residential groups. These new scales are higher than previous regulations, which required villages to have 100 to 350 households and residential groups 150 to 450 households.

The Prime Minister has instructed localities to complete the reorganization of villages and residential groups by 30/6. This initiative aims to reduce administrative management pressure after administrative unit mergers and further streamline the grassroots apparatus.

The reorganization must align with historical, cultural, customary, geographical, national defense, security factors, and the natural cohesion of residential communities. Special attention should be given to mountainous, border, island, ethnic minority, and religiously influenced areas.