Circular No. 02/2025/TT-BDTTG guides the functions, tasks, and authorities of the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religion under the People's Committee of provinces and centrally governed cities, as well as ethnic, belief, and religious work of specialized departments under the People's Committees of communes, towns, and special administrative-economic zones within provinces and centrally governed cities.

CIRCULAR

GUIDANCE ON THE FUNCTIONS, TASKS, POWERS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ETHNIC MINORITIES AND RELIGIONS UNDER THE PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE OF PROVINCES AND DIRECTLY-GOVERNED CITIES AND THE ETHNIC MINORITY, BELIEF, AND RELIGION WORK OF THE SPECIALIZED DEPARTMENTS UNDER THE PEOPLE'S COMMITTEES OF DISTRICTS, WARD, AND SPECIAL ZONES IN PROVINCES AND DIRECTLY-GOVERNED CITIES

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Pursuant to Decree No. 41/2025/NĐ-CP dated February 26, 2025 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Ethnic Minorities and Religion; Decree No. 114/2025/NĐ-CP dated June 3, 2025 of the Government amending Clause 12, Article 3 of Decree No. 41/2025/NĐ-CP dated February 26, 2025 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Ethnic Minorities and Religion;

Pursuant to Decree No. 95/2023/NĐ-CP dated December 29, 2023 of the Government detailing certain provisions and implementing measures of the Law on Belief and Religion;

Pursuant to Decree No. 124/2025/NĐ-CP dated June 11, 2025 of the Government stipulating decentralization and delegation of authority; defining the jurisdiction of local authorities at two levels in the field of ethnic minority, belief, and religion work;

Pursuant to Decree No. 150/2025/NĐ-CP dated June 12, 2025 of the Government stipulating the organization of specialized agencies under the People's Committee of provinces and directly-governed cities and the People's Committee of districts, wards, and special zones in provinces and directly-governed cities;

The phrase "or examination" is abolished pursuant to Clause 6, Article 8 of Circular No. 15/2025/TT-BVHTTDL dated November 25, 2025, of the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism amending and supplementing certain articles of Circulars prescribing job codes, qualification standards, and salary grades for civil servants in the heritage culture, library, grassroots cultural activities, sports, fine arts, art performance, film, and cultural propaganda sectors, which takes effect from January 15, 2026.

The Minister of Ethnic Minorities and Religion issues this Circular guiding the functions, tasks, powers of the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religion under the People's Committee of provinces and directly-governed cities and the ethnic minority, belief, and religion work of the specialized departments under the People's Committee of districts, wards, and special zones in provinces and directly-governed cities.

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

This Circular guides the functions, tasks, and powers of the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religion under the People's Committee of provinces and directly-governed cities (hereinafter referred to collectively as provincial level) and the ethnic minority, belief, and religion work of the specialized departments under the People's Committee of districts, wards, and special zones in provinces and directly-governed cities (hereinafter referred to collectively as district level).

Article 2. Applicability

1. The Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religion under the People's Committee of the provincial level.

2. The specialized department under the People's Committee of the district level implements ethnic minority, belief, and religion work (Culture and Social Affairs Department).

3. Relevant agencies, organizations, and individuals.

Chapter II

DEPARTMENT OF ETHNIC MINORITIES AND RELIGION

Article 3. Position and Functions

1. The Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religion is a specialized agency under the People's Committee of the provincial level; it advises and assists the People's Committee of the provincial level in state management in the field of ethnic minority, belief, and religion work and, according to the division of authority or delegation by the People's Committee of the provincial level, the Chairman of the People's Committee of the provincial level in accordance with the law.

2. The Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religion has legal personality, seal, and bank account as prescribed by law; it complies with the directives and management regarding organization, staffing, and work of the People's Committee of the provincial level; at the same time, it complies with the directives, guidance, and supervision regarding professional matters from the Ministry of Ethnic Minorities and Religion.

Article 4. Tasks and Powers

1. Submit to the provincial People's Committee:

a) Draft resolutions of the Provincial People's Council, draft decisions of the People's Committee of the provincial level related to the industry and sector within the scope of management of the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religion and other documents assigned by the People's Committee of the provincial level;

b) Draft plans for industry and sector development; programs and measures to organize the implementation of tasks in the industry and sector within the provincial level under the management of the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religion;

c) Draft decisions specifying the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religion; draft decisions specifying the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of public service units (except where otherwise provided by specific laws) under the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religion (if any);

d) Draft decisions on socializing activities providing public services in the field of ethnic minority, belief, and religion work within the jurisdiction of the People's Committee of the provincial level (if any).

2. Submit to the Chairman of the People's Committee of the provincial level draft documents within his authority to issue, as assigned,

3. Organize the implementation of normative legal documents, planning, and plans after approval; provide information, propaganda, guidance, dissemination, education, monitoring the enforcement of laws in fields under state management; train and enhance knowledge and skills for cadres and civil servants engaged in ethnic minority and religious work at the district level; people of influence; followers, clergy, religious workers, and religious practitioners of religious organizations and subordinate religious organizations, representatives, and managers of worship sites within the management scope.

4. On ethnic minority work:

a) Advise and assist the People's Committee of the provincial level in organizing the implementation of strategies, plans, programs, projects on ethnic minority work after they have been issued or approved by competent authorities;

b) Advise and assist the People's Committee of the provincial level in monitoring, summarizing, concluding, and evaluating the implementation of ethnic policies; projects and policies for economic and social development in particularly difficult communes, villages in areas I, II, and III in ethnic minority and mountainous regions; investment and support policies to stabilize the lives of ethnic minorities; policies and projects supporting people in particularly difficult areas; policies and projects for the preservation and development of very small ethnic groups and ethnic minorities facing many difficulties with special challenges;

c) Advise and propose organizing welcoming, visiting, encouraging, and supporting ethnic minorities in resolving legitimate wishes according to regulations and laws; regularly advise organizing the Provincial Ethnic Minority Congresses and Ward Ethnic Minority Congresses; organizing commendation meetings and honoring exemplary models among ethnic minorities; organizing exchange activities, seminars, and experience sharing between ethnic minority representatives, influential people among ethnic minorities, and other events related to ethnic minority work to strengthen the solidarity among ethnic groups in Vietnam.

d) Chair and coordinate with relevant departments to advise and submit to the Provincial People's Committee for approval of particularly difficult hamlets, villages in areas I, II, III within ethnic minority and mountainous regions; submit to the Provincial People's Committee for review, verification, and completion of files to be submitted to the Ministry of Ethnic Minorities and Religion for approval of ethnic groups facing many difficulties and special hardships;

đ) Chair and coordinate with related agencies to inspect, review, and issue written responses to the Commune People's Committee regarding the recognition, removal from lists, replacement, and supplementation of persons of trust among ethnic minorities according to the proposals of the Commune People's Committee; organize the implementation of policies for persons of trust among ethnic minorities as prescribed;

5. Regarding beliefs and religions:

a) Advise and assist the Provincial People's Committee in implementing strategies, plans, programs, projects on beliefs and religions or those related to beliefs and religions after they have been issued or approved by competent authorities;

b) Advise and assist the Provincial People's Committee in state management of belief and religious activities within the province;

c) Assist the Provincial People's Committee in serving as the liaison point with religious organizations, subordinate religious organizations, and worship sites under its jurisdiction; advise and organize receptions, inquiries, and resolution of requests of religious clergy, religious workers, and believers according to the law;

d) Resolve matters within its authority or submit them to competent authorities for resolution according to the law for specific, prominent, and sensitive cases involving beliefs and religions. Chair and coordinate with relevant departments in advising and submitting to the Provincial People's Committee for resolution of issues arising from belief and religious activities under its jurisdiction;

đ) Guide communities, organizations, and individuals within its jurisdiction to operate according to laws on beliefs and religions;

6. Manage enterprises, collective economic organizations, private economic organizations, associations, and non-governmental organizations within the scope of ethnic affairs, beliefs, and religions work (if applicable) according to the law;

7. Manage the operations of public and non-public institutions within the scope of ethnic affairs, beliefs, and religions work (if applicable);

8. Implement international cooperation in the field of ethnic affairs, beliefs, and religions according to the law and as delegated or authorized by the Provincial People's Committee and the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee;

9. Provide professional guidance in the field of ethnic affairs, beliefs, and religions to specialized agencies under the Commune People's Committee;

10. Organize research, application of scientific and technological progress, innovation, and digital transformation; build information systems and archives; establish and update databases on ethnic minorities, beliefs, and religions to serve state management and professional tasks;

11. Implement the administrative reform program of the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religion according to the goals and programs of the Provincial People's Committee;

12. Organize the provision of public services in the field of ethnic affairs, beliefs, and religions within the scope of state management of the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religion;

13. Inspect organizations and individuals in their compliance with laws in the field of ethnic affairs, beliefs, and religions; receive citizens, resolve complaints and denunciations; prevent corruption, waste, and negative practices according to the law;

14. Receive citizen petitions related to ethnic affairs, beliefs, and religions, ethnic components, and the names, customs, and traditions of ethnic minorities; examine and resolve or submit to competent authorities for resolution of petitions from organizations and individuals related to ethnic affairs, beliefs, and religions according to the law;

15. Participate and coordinate with relevant departments in reviewing projects and programs developed by departments, agencies, and organizations related to state management of ethnic affairs, ethnic minorities, and beliefs and religions within the province;

16. Coordinate with the Department of Home Affairs and related units to implement planning, training, development, placement, and utilization of ethnic minority civil servants working at provincial specialized agencies and cadres and civil servants who are ethnic minorities working at commune-level people's committees, ensuring a reasonable ethnic component ratio within the jurisdiction; prioritize recruitment, selection, placement, and utilization of cadres, civil servants, and employees engaged in ethnic affairs, beliefs, and religions with professional qualifications, knowledge, and skills;

17. Coordinate with related departments to assist the Provincial People's Committee in enrolling ethnic minority students in universities, colleges, and secondary vocational schools according to the quota system and in preparatory universities and boarding schools for ethnic minorities according to regulations; advise the Provincial People's Committee to organize commendations and promotions for outstanding teachers, students, and graduates who are ethnic minorities within the province;

18. Specify the functions, tasks, and powers of the office and specialized professional departments under the department in accordance with the functions, tasks, and powers of the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religion;

19. Manage organizational structures, civil service quotas, civil service ranks, and rank assignments, job positions, and staff structures by occupational titles and number of personnel in public institutions; implement salary systems and incentive policies, training, development, rewards, and disciplinary measures for civil servants, staff members, and workers under its jurisdiction according to the law. Propose competent authorities to reward organizations and individuals with achievements in ethnic affairs, beliefs, and religions work according to the law;

20. Carry out information and reporting work regularly and urgently on the implementation of assigned tasks to the Provincial People's Committee and the Ministry of Ethnic Minorities and Religion.

21. Manage and be responsible for financial and property matters assigned in accordance with the provisions of the law.

22. Perform other tasks and powers delegated, classified, and defined by competent authorities in accordance with the provisions of the law.

Chapter III

REGULATIONS ON THE FUNCTIONS, TASKS, POWERS OF THE SOCIAL AND CULTURAL DEPARTMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE AT THE COMMUNE LEVEL IN RELATION TO ETHNIC GROUPS, BELIEFS, AND RELIGIONS

Article 5. Functions

The Social and Cultural Department advises and assists the People's Committee at the commune level to perform state management functions in various fields, including ethnic affairs, beliefs, and religions.

Article 6. Tasks and Powers

Carry out tasks and powers as stipulated in Article 12 of Decree No. 150/2025/NĐ-CP dated June 12, 2025, issued by the Government on the organization of specialized agencies under the People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities and communes, wards, and special administrative-economic zones under provinces and centrally-run cities; according to the division of power, classification, and definition of authority in ethnic affairs, beliefs, and religions, and the following tasks and powers:

1. Regarding Ethnic Affairs:

a) Advise and assist the People's Committee at the commune level to organize the implementation of strategies, plans, programs, projects on ethnic affairs in accordance with the directives and guidance of the Ministry of Ethnic Minorities and Religion, the People's Committee at the provincial level, and the Provincial Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religion;

b) Advise and assist the People's Committee at the commune level to organize the implementation, mid-term review, final evaluation, and assessment of the implementation of policies and measures for ethnic minorities; programs, projects, and initiatives for economic and social development in particularly difficult hamlets, villages in areas I, II, and III within the ethnic minority and mountainous regions; investment and support policies to stabilize the lives of ethnic minorities; policies and projects to support people in particularly difficult areas; policies and projects to preserve and develop ethnic minority groups that are very small in number and those facing significant difficulties;

c) Advise and propose organizing welcoming, visiting, encouraging, supporting difficulties, and addressing legitimate wishes of ethnic minorities in accordance with regulations and laws; regularly advise organizing the Communal Ethnic Minority Representative Congress; organizing commendation meetings and honoring exemplary models among ethnic minorities; organizing exchange activities, seminars, and experience sharing between ethnic minority representatives, respected individuals among ethnic minorities, and other events related to ethnic affairs to strengthen the unity of ethnic groups in Vietnam;

d) Advise and assist the People's Committee at the commune level to organize reviews, summaries, and file preparation to determine particularly difficult hamlets, villages in areas I, II, and III within the ethnic minority and mountainous regions; identify ethnic groups facing significant difficulties and specific challenges, and submit them to the competent authority for approval;

đ) Advise and assist the People's Committee at the commune level and the Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level to implement the recognition, removal from the list, replacement, and supplementation of respected individuals, and send the relevant specialized agency about ethnic affairs, beliefs, and religions at the provincial level for comments before making decisions; implement policies for respected individuals among ethnic minorities in accordance with regulations.

2. Regarding Beliefs and Religions:

a) Advise and assist the People's Committee at the commune level to organize the implementation of strategies, plans, programs, projects on beliefs and religions or those related to beliefs and religions in accordance with the directives and guidance of the Ministry of Ethnic Minorities and Religion, the People's Committee at the provincial level, and the Provincial Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religion;

b) Advise and assist the People's Committee at the commune level to manage state activities of belief and religion of non-cultural heritage sites and non-historical, cultural, scenic spots that have been ranked or included in the inventory of relics by the provincial People's Committee; coordinate with relevant agencies and units to monitor, grasp the situation to prevent, detect, and handle activities that exploit beliefs and religions for purposes outside of religion, divide ethnic groups, divide religions, and exploit belief and religious activities for personal gain;

c) Assist the People's Committee at the commune level to serve as the liaison with religious organizations, subordinate religious organizations, and religious sites under their management on the territory; advise and organize welcoming, visiting, and resolving the wishes of religious clergy, religious workers, and believers in accordance with the law;

d) Resolve cases within their jurisdiction or refer them to the competent authority for resolution in accordance with the law. Take the lead and coordinate with relevant departments and units in advising and submitting to the People's Committee at the commune level for resolution of issues arising from belief and religious activities under their management;

đ) Guide communities, organizations, and individuals within its jurisdiction to operate according to laws on beliefs and religions;

Chapter IV

IMPLEMENTATION

Article 7. Effective Date

1. This Circular takes effect from July 1, 2025.

2. This Circular replaces Circular No. 01/2021/TT-UBDT dated November 1, 2021, issued by the Minister and Head of the National Ethnic Minorities Committee guiding the functions, tasks, and powers of specialized agencies on ethnic affairs under the People's Committees at the provincial and district levels.

Article 8. Responsibility for Implementation

1. The People's Committee at the provincial level and the Chairman of the People's Committee at the provincial level; the People's Committee at the commune level and the Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level shall be responsible for directing and organizing the implementation of this Circular.

2. In places where the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religion has not been established, the Department of Home Affairs shall perform the functions, tasks, and powers prescribed in Article 4 of this Circular.

3. During the implementation of this Circular, if there are difficulties or obstacles, please report them to the Ministry of Ethnic Minorities and Religion for consideration and resolution./.