The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DoNRE) has proposed reclaiming land that has been left unused for over a year, even if landowners have fulfilled their financial obligations. This move aims to curb land wastage and promote efficient land use.

Currently, Vietnam’s 2024 Land Law does not clearly define whether leaving land vacant constitutes a violation, making it difficult for authorities to impose penalties or reclaim idle plots.

The DoNRE has requested the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) to clarify legal grounds for addressing this issue.

While existing regulations allow for financial penalties on landowners who fail to utilize allocated land, there is no clear mechanism for reclaiming such land.

The DoNRE has suggested amendments to administrative penalty decrees, introducing land confiscation as a consequence for continued non-use, particularly if a plot remains idle for 12 consecutive months despite previous fines.

Ho Chi Minh City has identified over 1,000 government-owned properties currently left vacant, contributing to land resource inefficiency.

Authorities conducted inspections and imposed fines totaling over 18.5 billion VND ($750,000) in the past year for land misuse.

The new proposal seeks to ensure that land is efficiently managed and utilized for urban development.

Anh Phuong