Me Linh District, 29 kilometers away from Hanoi's downtown, expects to earn VND600 billion (US$25.5 million) in 2023 as the local authorities plan to sell the land use rights of the projects that span a 16.6ha area, according to the district’s center for land development.

A land auction in Me Linh District in late July 2022. From January-August, the district earned some VND780 billion (US$33 million) from sales of land use rights. Photo: The Hanoi Times

The land area is covering seven projects that have been behind schedule. Initial funding for land clearance is set at VND305 billion, the center reported.

Additionally, the center will provide advice to the district’s People Committee on the process to auction 16ha of land under 22 existing projects whose investment capital amounted to VND617 billion.

The center reported that land clearance is on track for 12 projects and local authorities may earn VND729 billion from the sale of the land in those projects.

To fulfill the task, the Me Linh District’s Party Committee and People’s Committee will ask local communes to educate and communicate to people about the meaning and benefit of land use auction, track the original owner of the land plots, deal with people’s complaints, and find the solutions to settle the issues with people who disagree with the land requisition.

The permanent member of the district’s Party Committee will take responsibility for discussing the policy with local people and convincing them to accept compensation for the requisitioned land.

Besides, the district will keep a close watch on land requisition to make sure it complies with existing law, and consider land clearance and auction as a top-priority mission for the communes and towns.

The auction of land use rights is among the top-priority mission for the authorities of Me Linh District to make the best exploration of the land, facilitate the development of the infrastructure for the urban area, create a sufficient supply of land for people and enterprises, and push the socio-economic growth of the area.

Dinh Ngoc Thuc, Director of the center for land development, said that Me Linh District’s authorities have auctioned the land use rights at 18 projects spanning more than 32.3ha to earn nearly VND780 billion in January-August, beating the targets set by the city and district’s people councils. In August alone, the district sold 50 land lots and the revenue from the sales are expected to hit nearly VND280 billion.

The results highlight the determination of the district’s Party Committee and People’s Committee amid difficulties in terms of administrative procedures and disagreement among local people. Additionally, the law enforcement units have had trouble defining the starting prices for the auctions while consultancy companies are hesitant due to law-related risks.