Joint Circular No. 22/1997/TT-BLDTBXH-BTCBCP guides the functions, tasks, authorities, and organizational structure for work with war invalids, martyrs, and those who have rendered meritorious service under the labor, war invalids, and social affairs authority at local levels.

CIRCULAR JOINT CIRCULAR

Guidelines on functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure for handling matters related to invalids, martyrs, and those who have rendered meritorious service under local labor, invalids, and social affairs agencies.

Pursuant to Article 4 of Decision No. 727/TTg dated September 4, 1997 of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs and the Department of Organization-Personnel of the Government provide guidelines on the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure for handling matters related to invalids, martyrs, and those who have rendered meritorious service under local labor, invalids, and social affairs agencies at all levels as follows:

1. Provincial People's Committees (referred to collectively as provinces) shall establish specialized organizations responsible for handling matters related to invalids, martyrs, and those who have rendered meritorious service under the Department of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs based on the current Veterans' Policy Office or Social Welfare Office to perform state management functions and organize the implementation of activities in the field of invalids, martyrs, and those who have rendered meritorious service according to national regulations and guidance from the Ministry of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs.

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2. The specialized organization responsible for handling matters related to invalids, martyrs, and those who have rendered meritorious service at the provincial level is the Veterans' Martyrs' and Meritorious Service Affairs Office under the Department of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs.

I. GENERAL PROVISIONS:

3. The tasks related to handling matters concerning invalids, martyrs, and those who have rendered meritorious service at the district, town, city level (collectively referred to as districts) are handled by the Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs Office or the Organizational Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs Office at the district level without having a separate specialized organization.

4. The tasks related to handling matters concerning invalids, martyrs, and those who have rendered meritorious service at commune, ward, town level (collectively referred to as communes) are handled by the Commune People's Committee.

5. The number of personnel in the specialized organization responsible for handling matters related to invalids, martyrs, and those who have rendered meritorious service is determined by the Provincial People's Committee within the total number of personnel of the province, based on the volume of work assigned, funding sources, number of beneficiaries, and administrative area.

II. TASKS, POWERS, AND STAFFING FOR HANDLING MATTERS RELATED TO INVALIDS, MARTYRS, AND THOSE WHO HAVE RENDERED MERITORIOUS SERVICE IN LOCALITIES:

1. Tasks and powers of the Veterans' Martyrs' and Meritorious Service Affairs Office under the Department of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs.

a. Tasks and powers:

- Develop long-term and annual programs and plans regarding matters related to invalids, martyrs, and those who have rendered meritorious service under the responsibility of the provincial Department of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs for approval by the Provincial People's Committee, implement these programs and plans, and guide and inspect their execution.

- Assist the Director of the Department in guiding, inspecting, and reviewing procedures for confirming beneficiaries of preferential policies; implement and coordinate with relevant authorities to carry out quotas, standards, and benefits for beneficiaries.

- Maintain records, lists, statistics, and adjustments of benefits for invalids, martyrs, and those who have rendered meritorious service according to regulations; conduct regular and annual reports; guide and inspect the compilation of beneficiary lists at the district and commune levels.

- Prepare plans for allocating funds within the scope of invalids, martyrs, and those who have rendered meritorious service for submission to the Director of the Department, and participate in finalizing these funds according to current regulations.

- Monitor and inspect the implementation of preferential benefits and the use of funds for this field at the local level.

- Respond to collective and individual complaints about the implementation of policies and benefits for invalids, martyrs, and those who have rendered meritorious service within their authority.

- Compile lists and memorial diagrams at martyrs' cemeteries; guide the construction, repair, and upgrading of martyrs' graves, cemeteries, monuments, and memorials, and assign monitoring and inspection of these facilities. Provide information on martyrs' graves; organize and guide visits to graves and martyrs' cemeteries.

- Coordinate with relevant agencies to conduct surveys and search for remains of martyrs.

- Monitor and inspect the implementation of policies and benefits for invalids, war veterans, relatives of martyrs, and those who have rendered meritorious service at local care, rehabilitation, treatment, and functional recovery facilities.

- Assist the Director of the Department in coordinating with other sectors and mass organizations in propaganda, mobilization, and building movements to care for invalids, families of martyrs, and those who have rendered meritorious service at the local level.

- Assist the Director of the Department in summarizing and concluding experiences in implementing policies for invalids, martyrs, and those who have rendered meritorious service; organize guidance and coordination in training to improve professional skills for staff handling these matters at the local level.

b. Staffing:

- The Veterans' Martyrs' and Meritorious Service Affairs Office under the Department of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs has one Director and one to two Deputy Directors.

- Based on the tasks specified in Point 5, Section I above, the Department of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs assigns personnel to the Veterans' Martyrs' and Meritorious Service Affairs Office. The staffing of the office is within the total staffing of the Department of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs.

2. Tasks and powers related to handling matters concerning invalids, martyrs, and those who have rendered meritorious service of the Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs Office or the Organizational Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs Office at the district level.

a. Tasks and powers:

- Develop long-term, annual, quarterly, and monthly programs and plans for handling matters concerning invalids, martyrs, and those who have rendered meritorious service according to the guidance of the provincial Department of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs and the direction of the District People's Committee; implement approved programs and plans.

- Guide, inspect, and review files and procedures for confirming beneficiaries of preferential policies to be submitted to competent authorities for decision.

- Compile and manage lists of beneficiaries, conduct statistics and adjustments of benefits for beneficiaries, implement regular reporting systems, and guide the compilation of beneficiary lists at the commune level.

- Direct, inspect, and review the files and procedures to confirm the eligibility of individuals entitled to preferential policies for persons with meritorious service, and submit to the competent authority for decision.

- Establish and maintain management lists of persons with meritorious service, compile comprehensive statistics, adjust benefits for persons with meritorious service, implement regular information reporting systems, and guide the establishment of lists of persons with meritorious service at the commune level.

- Implement the disbursement of preferential benefits and financial expenses for the fields of war invalids, martyrs, and those who have rendered meritorious service; settle accounts according to the current state financial regulations.

- Respond to and resolve complaints from organizations and individuals regarding policies and benefits for war invalids, martyrs, and those who have rendered meritorious service within their jurisdiction.

- Compile lists of martyrs' graves, memorial diagrams at martyrs' cemeteries, guide the construction, repair, and upgrading of martyrs' graves, martyrs' cemeteries, monuments, and memorials inscribed with the names of martyrs, guide the management and maintenance of these commemorative works at the district level; implement notifications and organize visits to martyrs' graves and martyrs' cemeteries according to the guidance of the Department of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs. Coordinate with relevant agencies within the district to conduct surveys and search for the remains of martyrs.

- Assist the People's Committee of the district in coordinating with departments and mass organizations to carry out propaganda, competitions, model building, and movements to care for war invalids, families of martyrs, and those who have rendered meritorious service within the district.

- Conduct mid-term and final reviews, draw lessons learned in the field of war invalids, martyrs, and those who have rendered meritorious service, provide vocational training for cadres at the commune level according to the guidance of the Department of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs and the directives of the People's Committee of the district.

b. Organizational staffing:

- The number of dedicated staff members responsible for work related to war invalids, martyrs, and those who have rendered meritorious service in the Department of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs or the Department of Organizational Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs must ensure the completion of assigned tasks.

3. The tasks of implementing policies for war invalids, martyrs, and those who have rendered meritorious service at the commune level shall be stipulated by the People's Committee of the district and in accordance with the guidance of the Department of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs.

III. IMPLEMENTATION:

1. The Director of the Department of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs, together with the Head of the Civil Service Organization Board, shall promptly submit to the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee on the organization and staffing for work related to war invalids, martyrs, and those who have rendered meritorious service at the local level as prescribed in this Circular.

2. The Director of the Department of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs needs to review the functions and responsibilities of the War Invalids and Martyrs Organization under the Department to supplement and improve them to ensure the completion of assigned tasks and the implementation of policies in a regular and continuous manner, particularly the disbursement of preferential allowances to those who have rendered meritorious service.

3. The reorganization and staffing for work related to war invalids, martyrs, and those who have rendered meritorious service at all levels of localities must be completed before January 31, 1998, and a report submitted to the Joint Ministry.

During the implementation of this Circular, if there are any difficulties, they should be reported to the Joint Ministry for consideration and resolution.