Nghe An Province Enhances Grassroots Staff Compensation Amidst Administrative Reorganization

Nghe An Province, Vietnam, has adopted a new resolution to enhance the compensation for grassroots officials (block, hamlet, village representatives) in response to increased workloads following administrative reorganization. This initiative aims to boost staff morale and improve their job performance. The province has been implementing administrative unit consolidation in line with central government directives. This has led to larger management areas and populations in many localities, significantly increasing the workload for grassroots staff. For instance, in Tam Quang commune, the number of hamlets was reduced from 18 to 11, with Hamlet Quang Phuc now managing 496 households. Tan An commune saw its hamlets decrease from 21 to 8, achieving a consolidation rate of over 62% and becoming the most streamlined locality. Grassroots officials are now required to dedicate more time and effort to understand residents' living conditions and promptly address emerging issues. However, some areas face challenges such as a lack of funds for public address systems to facilitate faster information dissemination. In light of these realities, the Nghe An Provincial People's Council passed a resolution stipulating allowances and support funds for grassroots officials. The resolution specifies monthly allowances for three key positions: Party cell secretaries, block/hamlet/village heads, and heads of the mass mobilization committee. In larger areas (blocks with over 1,000 households, or hamlets/villages with over 700 households) or in strategically important zones (defense-critical, border areas, or particularly disadvantaged localities), these officials will receive allowances equivalent to 3.1 times the base salary (2.8 times for mass mobilization committee heads). In other areas, the allowances are 2.6 and 2.3 times, respectively. Additionally, seven other positions, including deputy block/hamlet/village heads, militia commanders, and leaders of youth unions, women's, farmers', veterans', and elderly associations, will receive monthly support. These support amounts, also tiered based on local scale and characteristics, range from 1.15 to 0.6 times the base salary. The resolution is set to take effect from July 1, 2026. By supplementing central government provisions with its own local support policies, Nghe An Province aims to alleviate the burden on grassroots staff and foster their commitment, ensuring smooth administrative operations post-reorganization. Source: Nhan Dan