With the deadline of June 30th for completing the merger of villages, hamlets, and residential quarters, many provinces coupled with cities are accelerating the review of conditions to develop appropriate restructuring plans for the aim of administrative apparatus streamlining and efficiency improvement of grassroots governance.

According to statistics, Dak Lak province has currently had 2,801 villages, hamlets, residential areas, combined with neighborhoods; particularly, more than 2,000 units fail to meet minimum household requirements and therefore require restructuring, which is a huge task, requiring localities to implement it urgently as well as seriously to ensure completion on schedule as required by the Prime Minister.

From the practical experience of previous administrative unit restructuring and mergers, it shows that merging alongside splitting is not simply a mechanical arrangement; it is not just about “reducing the number of administrative units” but about creating a sufficiently large, resource-rich, and well-equipped grassroots governance space for more effective operation.

Government Decree 185/2026/ND-CP has established a new organizational framework for villages together with residential areas, increasing the population scale while clarifying the arrangement procedures. For Dak Lak province, villages must have at least 300 households, and residential areas are required to have a minimum of 450 households. The arrangement process must be truly cautious, democratic, humane, along with responsible. Streamlining must go hand in hand with stability, because the ultimate objective of the arrangement is merely fewer villages, hamlets, and residential areas, but to create more cohesive communities capable of serving the people while providing a more solid foundation for grassroots development.

Officials from the Culture and Social Affairs Department of Song Hinh commune (right) informing the Head of Village 9 together with local residents about village and hamlet merger policies in the commune.

Prime Minister’s Directive No. 21 clearly states the need to strengthen propaganda coupled with mobilization efforts to create high consensus among the people. In particular, it is essential to ensure that citizens are fully informed and can participate in providing feedback while monitoring the reorganization of villages and residential areas in accordance with grassroots democracy regulations. This affirms that public consensus is a decisive factor, creating a foundation for the smooth implementation of reorganizing villages, hamlets, combined with residential areas.

Mergers are closely linked with community sentiment. Therefore, local authorities need to publicly disclose the plan, criteria, and roadmap, solicit opinions, explain, listen to, as well as understand the thoughts and aspirations of the local communities, especially the elderly, people with prestige in the community, along with religious dignitaries. People should not only know the final outcomes but should also be involved in the decision-making process.

After the reorganization is completed, Dak Lak province is expected to have 1,766 villages, hamlets, and residential areas, a reduction of 1,035 units. The provincial viewpoint is not to proceed mechanically or chase after quantity, but to ensure that after the reorganization, management becomes more effective. Therefore, only with high public consensus can the reorganization of villages, hamlets, alongside residential areas achieve its set goals, ensuring streamlined administrative structures, improving the effectiveness and the operational efficiency of the management apparatus at the grassroots level, as well as creating momentum for stronger local development in the new phase.

Translated by TRINH THUY