Pushing ahead with commune upgrades

To achieve the goal of Khanh Hoa becoming a centrally governed city before 2030, the province must ensure wards account for at least 30% of its commune-level administrative units. This requires coordinated action across the political system and strong determination from the province.

A view of Dien Khanh Commune.

Priority given to upgrading 4 communes to wards first

Following the administrative reorganization, Khanh Hoa has 65 commune-level units: 48 communes, 16 wards, and the Truong Sa Special Zone. Wards currently make up 24.62%. Under Resolution No. 112, a province must reach at least 30%, equivalent to 20 wards, to qualify as a centrally governed city. Khanh Hoa therefore needs to upgrade at least 4 communes to wards, raising the ratio to 30.77% and meeting the requirement.

Huynh Manh Thang, Deputy Director of the Department of Internal Affairs, said the latest plan identifies seven communes with potential to become wards: Tan Dinh, Dien Khanh, Dien Lac, Dien, Cam Lam, Van Ninh, and Ninh Phuoc. The province will prioritize establishing the four wards of Tan Dinh, Dien Khanh, Dien Lac, and Dien, in the second quarter, while the others will be developed for consideration later.

The assessment by authorities shows that as of May 14, all four priority communes meet all 9/9 standards under Article 5 of Resolution No. 112. Tan Dinh, formed from the merger of Ninh Xuan, Ninh Quang, and Ninh Binh communes, has a population of 41,470, an area of 92.23 km², and an urbanization rate of 100%. Its budget revenue reaches 118% of expenditure, non-agricultural labor accounts for 79.7%, and industry, construction and services make up 92.36% of GRDP.

Dien Khanh, Dien Lac, and Dien communes are located within the inner-city development zone of Dien Khanh urban area, closely integrated with Nha Trang’s urban space. Dien Khanh has a population of 46,563, Dien Lac 24,028, and Dien Dien 39,117. All three have an urban population rate of 100%, and their economic structure and socio-economic indicators meet or exceed required standards. Of the remaining communes, Cam Lam meets 8 of 9 standards, Van Ninh 7 of 9, and Ninh Phuoc 6 of 9. After upgrading the four priority communes, the province plans to complete dossiers to elevate these three to wards in 2026.

Dossier submission by June 15

According to Nguyen Thanh Ha, Vice-Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, the establishment of additional wards is not merely to meet administrative criteria but also represents an important step in the roadmap to build Khanh Hoa into a centrally governed city. The Department of Internal Affairs has been assigned to take the lead, closely coordinate with relevant departments, agencies, and localities to prepare complete dossiers that ensure quality and compliance with regulations, and submit them to the Ministry of Internal Affairs before June 15, 2026.

The Provincial People's Committee has recently issued a plan to develop a project establishing four wards based on the current status of the communes of Tan Dinh, Dien Khanh, Dien Lac, and Dien Dien. According to the plan, from May 13 to 20, the competent authority will submit the proposal to the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial Standing Party Committee, and the Provincial Party Standing Committee. From May 21 to 24, public consultations will be conducted in the four communes. Between May 25 and 26, the People's Councils of the communes will adopt resolutions approving the proposal. On May 27, the commune-level dossiers will be finalized. From May 29 until before June 10, the proposal will be submitted to the Provincial People's Council, and by June 15, it will be forwarded to the Ministry of Interior for appraisal. According to the provincial People's Committee's review report, the province has currently met 4 out of 7 standards for a centrally-governed city, including population size, natural area, urbanization rate, and location and function.

The remaining 3 standards that need further improvement are the ratio of wards, the standards for a Type I urban area, and the structure and level of socio-economic development. The establishment of 7 more wards in 2026 will help the province complete one of the most important standards, creating a foundation for the province to be recognized as a centrally-governed city by 2028, two years earlier than the target set in Resolution No. 09 of the Politburo on the construction and development of Khanh Hoa Province to 2030 vision to 2045.

M.H

Translated by N.T