Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Phan Ngoc Tho takes residents in Region 1 of Thuong Thanh to see their new place of residence. Photo : Thanh Huong
From the special policy framework
Ms. Ngo Thi Ngan has been through 35 years of ups and downs in a small house with her neighbors in Cluster 18, Thuan Loc Ward, Hue city.
Confined space in the ramshackle house with faded tile floor in a state of disrepair over years causes the whole family to suffocate all the time. The resolution to relocate from the area of Thuong Thanh (the upper surface of Hue citadel) seems like a fresh breeze and is advocated by residents.
According to Ms. Ngan, the policy to relocate residents in the area of Thuong Thanh is concurred partly because of the Government’s special policy framework. The life of locals residing in shabby houses which have fallen into disrepair for many years in the relic area appears to be “spared” when the locals are moved to the residential area of Huong So with well-developed and modern infrastructure.
Residents dismantle their house and hand over land so as to move to their new place of residence. Photo: Nguyen Phong
Director of Hue City Land Fund Development Center Nguyen Anh Tuan says that in order to conduct relocation and land clearance of Hue Imperial City, the provincial authority has formulated an unprecedented special policy ratified by the Government.
According to Mr. Tuan, for running the scheme, the provincial authority has established a specific policy framework having been ratified by the Government, owing to which the legal problems with land clearance in this particular relic area are solved.
For example, there has been no compensation for building floating cottages so far. Now, the Government offers financial support equal to the land price. Another example is that residents still get support for constructing a house after the period of defining boundaries of the relic area.
Head of Civil Group 18, Thuan Loc Ward, Mr. Tran Xuan Pho assumes that residents welcome not only the compensation policy framework for land clearance but also the small details, such as the Government’s “bonus” for dismantling and early handover of land, which enables advocacy campaign to meet with agreement from locals and makes it easier for the resolution to be adopted. Accordingly, residents dismantling their house prior to the date will be entitled to a bonus of VND 4-10.5 million per household. They are also granted support of VND 17 million per household for rent and relocation.
Land “ownership”
These days, hundreds of households in 4 inner city wards take turns to dismantle their house on their own for moving to a new living area. Plots of land to which residents will attach themselves in the long term have been handed over, and dozens of new homes start to emerge in the residential area of Huong So.
Mr. Truong Cong Binh, who resides in Thuan Thanh Ward, contends that the households living in the areas of Eo Bau, Thuong Thanh have never owned any land so far; however, upon their relocation to a new neighborhood, they will become owners of their land. Holding the Certificate of Land Use Rights with their name on it brings about indescribable joy.
The infrastructure of the residential area of Huong So receives synchronized investments. Photo: Nguyen Phong
Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Lan (aged 72), a resident in Cluster 5, Thuan Thanh Ward, who is contracting with contractors to build her house in the new land, is in expectation of moving to the residential area.
“Today I see the residential area with my own eyes. Seeing the plot of land that the city authority allocates to my family and neighbors makes me feel pleased and exhilarated. From a cramped house with the alleyway of under 2 meters in width, now I am going to relocate to a spacious residential area with asphalted roads over 10 meters wide, together with pavements and bright electric lighting system. Even in my dream, I cannot think that this is my house and my land,” shared excitedly Ms. Lan.
To welcome local people to their new place of residence, the People's Committee of Hue City has invested 110 billion VND to complete the infrastructure of the residential area with modern architecture model, directing towards a green, clean and bright city, in conjunction with the system of roads, electric lighting and trees, conforming to the standards of a modern urban area.
The house models are designed for residents to refer and select, directing towards the construction of model residential areas in the future. Investments will be made in building nursery school and recreational sites to provide the households with the most favorable conditions upon their relocation to a new residence.
No one is left behind
Carrying the message “Leave no impoverished residents behind” of Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Chief of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation Phan Ngoc Tho, the authority of Hue City has constructed model houses with an area of 61 m2, including a one-story house with an attic at the cost of around 200 million VND per one for 25 impoverished households in the inner city in the form of “handing over house keys”
In June, 2020, 25 homes for impoverished households in Area 2 of the residential area of Northern Huong So will be completed and handed over to residents upon their relocation.
Being 1 of the 25 impoverished households granted a house by the city authority, Mr. Le Quang Nghia expressed with great emotion: “As my wife and I aged over 70 with constant sickness, the news that the Government both provides financial support and constructs houses for impoverished households makes us very happy. Seeing the spacious residential area with vast roads, we are very delighted and look forward to moving to the new house every single day”.
According to Secretary of Party Committee of Hue City, Head of Steering Committee for land acquisition of Hue City, Huynh Cu, there have never been such incentive polices for locals like the Resident Relocation Project in Region I of Hue Imperial City. This is the endeavor of the whole political system, from the Government, the Provincial People’s Committee to the People’s Committee of Hue City to bring the best policies and conditions to residents upon their relocation to a new residence.
The scheme of relocation and land clearance in Region I of Hue Imperial City (phase 1) performs the clearing the areas of Thuong Thanh, Eo Bau, Protecting trench system and Defensive route network with over 2900 affected households while at the same time proceeding with the construction of a new residential area in Huong So Ward, An Hoa on 77,9 ha of land. Phase 1 of the scheme is implemented in 4 inner city wards with a total of 500 households, 25 of which are impoverished.
Thanh Huong