Hung Yen enhances land access index: From policy to practice

In Hung Yen, the transformation of policy into practice is being carried out decisively. At the heart of this effort is the development of a modern land database, seen as the “key” to unlocking resources and creating momentum for sustainable socio-economic development.

Advisory Role: “Architect” of Land Resources

In an interview with Business Forum Magazine, Mr. Nguyen Duc Kien, Director of the Hung Yen Department of Agriculture and Environment, emphasized that land is a special national resource and the most important endogenous driver for development. However, this resource can only fully realize its value when managed with scientific thinking and a strategic vision.

As a specialized agency, the Department has clearly demonstrated its role in providing “accurate and effective” policy advice to the Provincial People’s Committee.

This advisory role goes beyond preparing annual land-use plans. It also involves proactively forecasting market demand and balancing the preservation of high-quality agricultural land with the development of industrial zones and clusters. The Department has actively proposed flexible land allocation plans aligned with the provincial master plan for 2021–2030, with a vision to 2050, ensuring that every square meter of land generates maximum added value for both the budget and society.

Mr. Kien noted that one of the biggest barriers discouraging businesses from accessing land is the lack of transparency and cumbersome administrative procedures. Recognizing this bottleneck, Hung Yen has set a strategic goal: to complete a comprehensive provincial land database by 2026.

This is not merely about digitizing paper records, it represents a revolution in state management. Once completed, the system will allow citizens and businesses to easily access information on planning, land prices, and the legal status of each land plot with just a few clicks.

Dual Benefits of Transparency

For government authorities: Strengthen control over land-use changes; Eliminate “suspended planning” and policy exploitation.

For businesses: Significantly shorten project appraisal timelines and reduce informal costs and eliminate the “ask - give” mechanism.

Transparency serves as a natural filter to attract capable investors while preventing speculative projects that waste resources.

To improve the Land Access Index, Hung Yen is focusing not only on digital infrastructure but also on “accountability infrastructure.” Solutions are being implemented consistently from provincial to grassroots levels:

Streamlining procedures: Reviewing and reducing administrative processing times for land allocation, leasing, and land-use right certification by 30–50% compared to standard regulations.

Strengthening coordination: Eliminating fragmented, siloed thinking among departments and localities. Close coordination helps quickly resolve land clearance issues and prevents projects from being stalled due to conflicts between sectoral and land-use planning.

Enhancing public service responsibility: Land administration officials are expected to guide and accompany businesses rather than act as gatekeepers creating obstacles.

Recent implementation of private investment projects in the province has provided valuable lessons in compensation, support, and resettlement. Land directly affects people’s livelihoods, making it the most sensitive stage with potential conflicts of interest.

The province’s stance is clear: land acquisition must ensure harmony among the interests of the State, businesses, and citizens. In key areas, public engagement is prioritized. People need clarity on why their land is being acquired, what they will receive, and how their future livelihoods will be secured.

The development of resettlement areas with synchronized infrastructure, sometimes better than previous living conditions, along with vocational training policies for displaced farmers, has fostered strong public consensus. Once consensus is achieved, land clearance proceeds quickly, projects are implemented sooner, and jobs and revenue are generated for the locality, forming a sustainable development cycle.

Business Perspective: Trust as the Most Valuable Asset

Feedback from the business community provides the most objective reflection of policy effectiveness. Many major investors in Hung Yen have expressed satisfaction with the improvements in accessing production land.

What businesses need is not just land, but a safe and stable investment environment. The government’s commitment to accompanying investors and resolving land-related legal issues has strengthened confidence among both domestic and foreign investors.

One FDI enterprise shared:“In Hung Yen, we can clearly feel the determination of the authorities. Once land procedures are unblocked, all our business plans proceed as expected.”

Mr. Vu Huy Dong, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Dam San JSC, praised Hung Yen’s proactive governance following the implementation of the two-tier local government model. As an investor in the expanded Vu Ninh Industrial Cluster and several ongoing projects, he highlighted the practical support from provincial leaders and the Department of Agriculture and Environment throughout the investment and production process.

Provincial agencies have consistently demonstrated proactiveness and responsibility in guiding and resolving difficulties, particularly in land, environmental procedures, and site clearance. Timely and effective coordination has helped businesses shorten project timelines, improve investment efficiency, and maintain stable, sustainable operations.

At the same time, businesses hope the province will continue to simplify and streamline administrative procedures, enhance transparency, accelerate processing times, and expand the application of information technology. Additional support mechanisms are also needed for land clearance, infrastructure investment, and access to preferential financing.

A notable example is the PVF Stadium project, which broke ground on October 19, 2025. Designed with a capacity of 60,000 seats and meeting the highest FIFA standards, it aims to host major national and international sports and cultural events.

Mr. Phan Thanh Cuong, Chairman of Vietnam Football Talents Promotion Co., Ltd. (PVF Training Center under the Ministry of Public Security), stated that the project is progressing rapidly, with site clearance completed in just about two months.

This success, he noted, stems from close guidance by Party and State leaders, the Ministry of Public Security, and especially the decisive and coordinated leadership of provincial authorities. Clear task assignments, regular supervision, and maximum support for investors have been key factors.

He described this as a bright spot in Hung Yen’s governance, demonstrating effective collaboration with businesses, ensuring legal compliance, transparency, and citizens’ rights, while accelerating project implementation. It also serves as a strong driver for attracting large-scale investments in the future.

Improving the Land Access Index is not an overnight task. It requires a profound shift in governance mindset, from administrative management to development-oriented service.

With its determination to complete the land database by 2026 and its systematic administrative reforms, Hung Yen is positioning itself as an attractive destination where land resources truly become a lever for breakthrough growth in a new era. The aspiration to become a modern, prosperous industrial province is gradually taking shape, starting with unlocking the flow of land resources.