The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Home Affairs has submitted a proposal to the municipal People's Committee regarding the restructuring of administrative agencies in the city.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has endorsed the plan, which includes the establishment of the Department of Public Works and Transportation.

The proposal aligns with a broader restructuring effort to streamline the city’s administrative machinery while ensuring it complies with the central government’s regulations on the number of specialized agencies under municipal management.

Key structural changes

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ho Chi Minh City’s restructuring plan involves:

Establishing the Department of Public Works and Transportation, which will take over functions from the current Department of Transport.

Merging the Department of Natural Resources and Environment with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to create a single agency managing land, water, and environmental resources.

Integrating the Management Board of the Ho Chi Minh City High-Tech Park with the Management Board of the High-Tech Agricultural Zone under one entity.

Dissolving the Management Board for Investment and Construction of South Saigon Urban Area in accordance with legal regulations.

However, the Ministry of Home Affairs has advised against merging the Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs with the Union of Friendship Organizations, citing distinct functions and operational mechanisms. The former is a government administrative body, while the latter is a socio-political organization.

Formation of the Department of Public Works and Transportation

Under the restructuring plan, the new Department of Public Works and Transportation will be formed based on the existing Department of Transport and will integrate functions from other agencies:

The Standing Office of the Traffic Safety Committee will be incorporated into the new department.

Certain infrastructure management functions currently handled by the Department of Construction will be transferred to the new department.

Responsibilities for driving license testing and issuance, previously managed by the Department of Transport, will be reassigned to the Ho Chi Minh City Police Department.

Reduction in the number of government agencies

Following the restructuring, the number of specialized agencies under the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee will decrease from 21 to 16. The new agency structure will include:

Department of Finance

Department of Home Affairs

Department of Construction

Department of Public Works and Transportation

Department of Science and Technology

Department of Culture and Sports

Department of Tourism

Department of Ethnic and Religious Affairs

Department of Natural Resources and Environment

Department of Health

Department of Education and Training

Department of Justice

Department of Industry and Trade

Office of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee

City Inspectorate

Department of Food Safety

The proposal will be reviewed by the Ho Chi Minh City Party Standing Committee before final implementation. The restructuring is aimed at improving administrative efficiency, optimizing resource allocation, and better aligning governance with the city’s urban development strategy.

Tuan Kiet