Circular No. 04/2010/TT-BNV guiding the functions, tasks, powers, organization, and staffing of the Religious Affairs Board under the Department of Home Affairs of the People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities.

Article 1. Position and Functions

1. The Religious Affairs Board is an entity under the Department of Home Affairs, assisting the Director of the Department of Home Affairs in advising the People's Committee at the provincial level to perform state management functions in the religious field.

2. The Religious Affairs Board is subject to the direction and management of the Department of Home Affairs regarding organization, staffing, and activities; it is also subject to professional guidance from the State Committee for Religious Affairs under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

3. The Religious Affairs Board (equivalent to a branch) has legal personality, its own seal and bank account, office, staffing, and operational funding provided by the state budget according to the provisions of the law.

b) Draft five-year and annual socio-economic development plans for the province; major economic and social balances for the province; draft five-year and annual plans, programs, projects, measures to organize and implement tasks related to socio-economic development, finance-budget, planning-investment, and other tasks within the scope of state management of the Department of Finance as prescribed by law;

Assist the Director of the Department of Home Affairs in performing the following tasks:

1. Drafting proposals for competent authorities on draft regulatory legal documents in the religious field.

2. Drafting programs, plans, and long-term and annual plans in the religious field for the Director of the Department of Home Affairs to issue within their authority or to submit to competent authorities for issuance.

3. Implementing Party guidelines, state policies, laws, and long-term, five-year, and annual plans in the religious field after approval by competent authorities.

4. Organizing propaganda and dissemination of guidelines, policies, and laws on religion to cadres, civil servants, employees, believers, religious leaders, religious workers, monks, and intellectuals of religions within the province's jurisdiction.

5. Resolving specific issues related to religion within their authority or submitting them to competent authorities for resolution; taking the lead and coordinating with departments and sectors to advise the Department of Home Affairs on resolving emerging issues in religion; serving as the point of contact between local authorities and religious organizations.

6. Conducting inspections, audits, handling complaints, and accusations in the religious field according to the provisions of the law.

7. Implementing training and professional development for civil servants and employees under the Board's jurisdiction in religious work.

8. Implementing preferential policies for religious organizations and individuals.

9. Conducting scientific research in the religious field, summarizing practical experiences, and providing scientific evidence for the formulation and implementation of policies towards religion.

10. Participating in managing cultural heritage sites related to religion.

11. Guiding the organization of the management of religious affairs at the district level to resolve specific issues related to religion according to the provisions of the law.

12. Managing the organization, staffing, finance, assets, and personnel of the Board according to the directives of the Director of the Department of Home Affairs and the provisions of the law.

13. Performing other tasks assigned by the Director of the Department of Home Affairs or competent authorities according to the provisions of the law.

Article 3. Organization and Staffing

1. Leadership of the Board:

a) The Religious Affairs Board has a Director and not more than three Deputy Directors;

b) The Director of the Religious Affairs Board is a Deputy Director of the Department of Home Affairs, responsible to the Director of the Department of Home Affairs and the law for all activities of the Board;

c) Deputy Directors assist the Director, responsible to the Director and the law for the tasks assigned; when the Director is absent, a Deputy Director appointed by the Director shall manage the activities of the Board;

d) The appointment of the Director and Deputy Directors is based on professional standards set by the People's Committee at the provincial level, according to the law and the delegation of personnel management authority by the People's Committee at the provincial level.

2. Organizational Structure:

a) Based on the workload, nature, and characteristics of state management in the religious field in the locality, the Director of the Department of Home Affairs submits to the People's Committee at the provincial level for a decision on the specific number and names of organizational units of the Board that are appropriate and effective, but not exceeding three departments, established according to areas of work, including: General Affairs - Administrative Department and specialized departments;

b) Each department has a Head and one Deputy Head. The Head is responsible to the Director of the Religious Affairs Board and the law for the area of work assigned. The Deputy Head is responsible to the Head and the law for the area of work assigned.

3. Staffing:

The staffing of the Religious Affairs Board is administrative staffing within the total administrative staffing of the Department of Home Affairs allocated by the People's Committee at the provincial level. The Director of the Religious Affairs Board determines the positions within the Board for the Director of the Department of Home Affairs to submit to the People's Committee at the provincial level for a decision ensuring sufficient staffing to effectively perform religious work functions.

Article 4. Organization of Implementation

1. The People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities decide on the establishment of the Religious Affairs Board or Religious Affairs Department suitable to the actual situation in the locality and are responsible for the effectiveness of the organizational structure for religious work in the locality; they specify the functions, tasks, powers, organization, and staffing of the Religious Affairs Board according to the guidelines in this Circular.

2. The Chairmen of the People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities are responsible for implementing this Circular.

Article 5. Effective Date

1\. This Circular takes effect forty-five days from the date of issuance.

2. This Circular replaces the provisions set out in Clause 12, Section II and Point d (regarding the content and organizational structure of the Religious Affairs Board or the Religious Affairs Department) of Clause 2, Section III, Part I of Circular No. 04/2008/TT-BNV dated June 4, 2008, issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs guiding the functions, tasks, authorities, and organizational structure of the Provincial Department of Home Affairs and District Department of Home Affairs under the People's Committees at provincial and district levels; and Point e, 2.1 of Clause 2, Section I of Circular No. 06/2008/TT-BNV dated August 21, 2008, issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs guiding amendments and supplements to Clause 2, Section III, Part I of Circular No. 04/2008/TT-BNV dated June 4, 2008, issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs.