Joint Circular No. 26/2011/TTLT-BNNPTNT-BKHĐT-BTC guides certain contents for implementing Decision No. 800/QĐ-TTg dated June 4, 2010 of the Prime Minister approving the National Target Program on New Rural Development for the period 2010-2020.

JOINT CIRCULAR

Guidelines on certain contents for implementing Decision No. 800/QD-TTg dated June 4, 2010 of the Government Chairman regarding the approval of the National Target Program for New Rural Development for the period 2010-2020

concerning the approval of the National Target Program for New Rural Development for the period 2010-2020

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Pursuant to Decree No. 01/2008/ND-CP dated January 3, 2008 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Decree No. 75/2009/ND-CP dated September 10, 2009 of the Government amending Article 3 of Decree No. 01/2008/ND-CP dated January 3, 2008 of the Government;

Pursuant to Decree No. 116/2008/ND-CP dated November 14, 2008 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Planning and Investment;

Pursuant to Decree No. 118/2008/NĐ-CP dated November 27, 2008, of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Finance;

Pursuant to Decision No. 135/2009/QĐ-TTg dated November 4, 2009 of the Prime Minister promulgating the Regulations on Management and Implementation of National Target Programs;

Implementing Decision No. 800/QD-TTg dated June 4, 2010 of the Government Chairman regarding the approval of the National Target Program for New Rural Development for the period 2010-2020 and Decision No. 491/QD-TTg dated April 16, 2009 of the Government Chairman promulgating the National Criteria for New Rural Areas;

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, and the Ministry of Finance issue guidelines on certain contents for implementing Decision No. 800/QD-TTg dated June 4, 2010 of the Government Chairman as follows:

Chapter 1

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope and Applicability

1. Scope of Regulation: This Circular guides the management and implementation of the National Target Program for New Rural Development for the period 2010-2020 throughout all communes nationwide; procedures and formalities for planning, budget management, disbursement, settlement, and final accounting of support funds; responsibilities of organizations, individuals participating in the implementation of the National Target Program for New Rural Development for the period 2010-2020 (hereinafter referred to as the New Rural Development Program).

2. Applicability: This Circular applies to agencies, organizations, individuals, and households implementing activities under the New Rural Development Program.

Article 2. Implementation Principles

1. Contents and activities of the New Rural Development Program must aim at achieving the 19 criteria set out in the National Criteria for New Rural Areas promulgated by Decision No. 491/QD-TTg dated April 16, 2009 of the Government Chairman (hereinafter collectively referred to as the National Criteria for New Rural Areas).

2. Promote the role of the community as the main subject, with the State playing a guiding role, issuing standards, policies, mechanisms for support, training cadres, and providing guidance on implementation. Specific activities are decided democratically by the local community and organized for implementation.

3. Inherit and integrate the National Target Programs, targeted support programs, and other ongoing programs and projects in rural areas.

4. Implementing the New Rural Development Program must be aligned with the socio-economic development plans of localities, ensuring planning and mechanisms to ensure the implementation of approved new rural development plans.

5. Transparency in the management and use of resources; enhance decentralization and empowerment of commune-level authorities to manage and implement projects under the New Rural Development Program; promote the leading role of the people and the community, implement grassroots democracy in the process of planning, organizing implementation, and monitoring and evaluation.

6. New Rural Development is the responsibility of the entire political system and society; Party committees and governments play a role in directing and managing the process of developing plans, programs, and organizing implementation. The Vietnam Fatherland Front and social-political organizations mobilize all strata of the population to play a leading role in new rural development.

Chapter 2

IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAM CONTENTS

Article 3. Steps for Building New Rural Areas

- Step 1: Establishing the management and implementation system

- Step 2: Organizing information dissemination and propaganda on the implementation of the New Rural Area Construction Program (to be carried out throughout the entire implementation process)

- Step 3: Surveying and evaluating the current status of rural areas according to the 19 national criteria for new rural areas

- Step 4: Developing the new rural area planning for communes

- Step 5: Preparing and approving the new rural area construction project plan for communes

- Step 6: Implementing the project plan

- Step 7: Monitoring, evaluating, and reporting on the implementation of the Program

Article 4. Management and Implementation System of the Program

1. At commune level, cities directly under the central government establish the Steering Committee for the New Rural Area Construction Program of the province/city (referred to collectively as the Provincial Steering Committee):

a) The Provincial Steering Committee for the New Rural Area Construction Program at the provincial level shall be headed by the Chairman of the People's Committee (hereinafter referred to as the People's Committee) of the province, who serves as the Head of the Provincial Steering Committee for National Target Programs; the Deputy Head of the Provincial Steering Committee shall be the Vice-Chairman of the People's Committee of the province, and one Deputy Head shall be the Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development; members of the Provincial Steering Committee shall be leaders of relevant departments and agencies. The Standing Office of the Provincial Steering Committee shall consist of the Head, Deputy Heads, and three members representing the leadership of the Departments of Construction, Planning and Investment, and Finance.

The Provincial Steering Committee shall be responsible for directing, managing, and overseeing the implementation of the contents of the New Rural Area Construction Program within its jurisdictional area.

b) The Provincial Steering Committee shall establish a Coordination Office for the New Rural Area Construction Program located at the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, assisting the Provincial Steering Committee in implementing the Program within its jurisdiction. The number of staff in the Coordination Office shall be determined by the Head of the Provincial Steering Committee, including full-time staff mainly from the Rural Development Sub-department and part-time staff appointed from the departments and sectors concerned. The Head of the Coordination Office shall be a leader of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Deputy Head of the Coordination Office should be held by the Director of the Rural Development Sub-department.

2. At district level, towns establish the Steering Committee for the New Rural Area Construction Program of the district/town (referred to collectively as the District Steering Committee).

a) The District Steering Committee shall be headed by the Chairman of the People's Committee of the district; the Vice-Chairman of the People's Committee of the district shall serve as the Deputy Head. Members shall include leaders of relevant departments and agencies of the district.

The District Steering Committee shall be responsible for directing, managing, and overseeing the implementation of the contents of the New Rural Area Construction Program within its jurisdictional area:

- Guiding and supporting communes in reviewing and assessing the current status of rural areas; compiling comprehensive reports to submit to the Provincial Steering Committee.

- Guiding and supporting communes in developing plans for building new rural areas; assisting the People's Committee of the district in organizing reviews and approving plans based on proposals from the People's Committee of the commune.

- Assisting the People's Committee of the district in making investment decisions and approving economic-technical reports (KTKT) for projects funded by the state budget exceeding VND 3 billion in total value.

- Compiling annual and five-year plans for implementing the contents of the New Rural Area Construction Program within its jurisdiction and reporting to the Provincial Steering Committee.

b) The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (or the Economic Department) shall act as the permanent coordinating body, assisting the District Steering Committee in implementing the New Rural Area Construction Program within its jurisdiction.

3. At commune level:

a) Based on specific circumstances of the locality, the People's Committee of the province decides whether to establish or not to establish a Steering Committee for Building New Rural Areas at the commune level. In case of establishment, the composition of the commune-level Steering Committee for Building New Rural Areas shall be decided by the People's Committee of the province.

b) Establishing the Commune Management Board for Building New Rural Areas (hereinafter referred to as the Commune Management Board) shall be decided by the People's Committee of the commune. The Chairman of the People's Committee of the commune shall serve as the Head; the Vice-Chairman of the People's Committee of the commune shall be the Deputy Head. Members shall include some commune officials, representatives of some political mass organizations, and village chiefs. Members of the Commune Management Board mainly work on a part-time basis.

- The Commune Management Board is subordinate to the People's Committee of the commune, has legal personality, and is allowed to open and use the seal of the People's Committee of the commune in transactions with related organizations and individuals in accordance with the law.

- The Commune Management Board has the main tasks and powers as follows:

+ The Commune Management Board is the principal investor in projects and contents of building new rural areas within the commune. The People's Committees of the province and district have the responsibility to guide and strengthen professional staff to assist the Commune Management Boards in fulfilling their assigned tasks.

+ Organizing the development of plans, programs, and annual investment plans for building new rural areas in the commune, soliciting opinions from all community residents in the commune, and submitting them to the competent authority for approval.

+ Organizing and creating conditions for the community to participate in and supervise the implementation of investment projects within the commune.

+ Managing and implementing projects and contents, including carrying out steps from investment preparation, implementation, acceptance, handover, and operation of projects.

+ Signing economic contracts with units having legal personality, communities, or individuals providing goods, construction works, and services to implement investment projects.

In cases where projects require high technical standards and specialized expertise that the Commune Management Board lacks capacity and does not undertake as the principal investor, the People's Committee of the commune may hire a unit/organization with sufficient capacity to manage and support or transfer the role of principal investor to the People's Committee of the district, with participation from the leadership of the Commune Management Board. Hiring a unit/organization with sufficient capacity to carry out these tasks shall comply with current regulations of the State.

4. At village level (collectively referred to as village): Establishing the Village Development Board, members of which are reputable, responsible, and capable organizers elected directly by the village community and recognized by a decision of the Chairman of the People's Committee of the commune (including representatives of village leadership, political mass organizations, and associations in the village, and other people with relevant professional expertise related to building new rural areas).

The Village Development Board has the main tasks and powers as follows:

a) Organize meetings with the people to disseminate and popularize the policies, mechanisms, and methods; the rights and obligations of the people and the community in the process of building New Rural Areas (NRAs). Summon training sessions for the people at the request of advisory agencies and organizations to enhance the capacity of the people and the community in rural development.

b) Organize the collection of opinions from the people in the village participating in providing feedback on the planning draft and the NRA construction proposal of the commune according to the requirements of the Commune Management Board.

c) Organize the construction of infrastructure projects assigned by the Commune Management Board within the village's territory (roads, power lines connecting villages and households; building kindergartens, village cultural houses).

d) Mobilize the people to participate in competitive movements among hamlets and households to improve ponds, gardens, gateways, and fences to create beautiful landscapes. Organize guidance and management of environmental sanitation in the village; improve drainage systems; restore ecological ponds and lakes; plant greenery in public areas, and handle waste.

e) Organize cultural and sports activities, combat outdated customs, and build civilized living habits within the village; participate in competitive movements initiated by the commune.

g) Organize support activities for poor households and mutual assistance to develop the economy and increase income, reduce poverty.

h) Self-monitor the community on basic construction projects within the village's territory. Establish management groups to operate and maintain the projects after acceptance and handover.

i) Ensure security and social order in the village; establish and implement village pledges and internal regulations for village development.

Article 5. Information and Propaganda

1. The steering committees at all levels organize propaganda, study, and research Party and State policies, and establish special columns on NRA construction on local mass media throughout the implementation of the NRA Construction Program.

2. Implement the "All-People Solidarity Movement for Building a Civilized Lifestyle in Residential Areas" campaign linked to NRA construction according to the guidelines of the Vietnam Fatherland Front.

Article 6. Survey and Evaluation of Current Rural Conditions

1. Purpose: To serve as a basis for developing the content and plan to implement the NRA proposal according to the National Criteria for NRAs.

2. Requirements and Implementation:

a) Form a survey and evaluation team: Members include representatives from the People's Committee of the commune, specialized staff, and representatives from some villages in the commune; each village forms a survey group (about 5-6 people) to assist the commune survey team in conducting surveys and evaluations of current conditions in their village.

b) Conduct research on guiding documents for evaluating current rural conditions, and develop plans to implement the tasks of the survey and evaluation team.

c) Conduct evaluations of current conditions: The survey team collaborates with village groups to measure, estimate, or calculate each criterion content.

d) Summarize results and clearly identify the current status of the commune compared to the National Criteria for NRAs such as: Number of criteria met, level of achievement; criteria not met, specific levels of each indicator.

3. The provincial and district steering committees are responsible for compiling and announcing standards and norms for evaluating current rural conditions according to the National Criteria for NRAs issued by the central government and localities; guide and support communes during the process of reviewing and evaluating current rural conditions.

4. Product: Report on the current status of rural areas in the commune (content and sample forms refer to the handbook for NRA construction by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development).

Article 7. Rural New Area Development Planning for Communes

1. The contents of the NTM planning include:

a) Land use planning for residential areas and public infrastructure according to NTM standards.

b) Agricultural land use planning (including: Crop cultivation, animal husbandry, forestry, fisheries), land for industrial and service production and accompanying production infrastructure.

2. Requirements for planning:

a) Infrastructure planning (transportation, water resources, electricity); agricultural production planning, industrial and service production planning of the commune must be consistent with the planning of the region (district or inter-commune).

b) Based on existing maps (in cases where topographic maps are not available, cadastral maps shall be used), taking into account new requirements for infrastructure standards (issued by relevant Ministries), new requirements for population development, industrial development, commercial agricultural production, and production infrastructure ..., when planning, adjustments must be made accordingly.

3. Planning needs include:

a) Establishing general planning (the remaining part being comprehensive planning): Used for items (a) and (b) stipulated in Clause 1. The product of the general planning is one map at a scale of 1/5000 and a planning description.

b) Establish detailed planning for: (i) Residential areas and public infrastructure in residential areas; (ii) Detailed planning for agricultural production areas with accompanying infrastructure; (iii) Detailed planning for industrial and service production and accompanying infrastructure. The products of detailed planning are maps at a scale of 1/2000 and a planning description.

4. Procedures for establishing, reviewing, and approving NTM planning for communes:

a) For general planning, detailed planning for land use for residential areas and public infrastructure; detailed planning for industrial and service production (and accompanying infrastructure) shall be implemented according to the provisions of Circular No. 09/2010/TT-BXD dated August 4, 2010 of the Ministry of Construction.

b) For detailed planning for agricultural production land use (and accompanying infrastructure) shall be implemented according to the provisions of Circular No. 07/2010/TT-BNNPTNT dated February 8, 2010 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

c) In the short term, focus on completing the general planning, then based on the actual needs of the commune, gradually complete the detailed planning.

5. Planning management:

a) After approval, land designated for infrastructure projects (residential areas and production areas) must have boundary markers installed for management to prevent encroachment. This can be done in phases according to economic conditions; when sufficient resources are available, full standards will be met.

b) The People's Committee of the commune shall establish regulations for planning management to ensure construction in accordance with the plan, preventing encroachment or deviation from the plan.

c) For residential construction projects: The Department of Construction shall take the lead, coordinating with the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to research and design models of some house types, auxiliary facilities, and layout suitable for the cultural characteristics of each region for residents to refer to and choose to apply.

6. Management and settlement of planning expenses:

a) Planning expenses are funded by the state budget.

b) The level of planning expenses for commune level is determined by the Provincial People's Committee in accordance with the actual situation in the province (specific level: Refer to the Handbook on Building NTM issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development).

c) NTM planning for communes is undertaken by the commune People's Committee, which may carry out the work itself or hire consultants for certain tasks (developing plans, preparing and guiding survey data tables, compiling, drawing maps, writing planning descriptions...). Assigning the commune management board to directly handle certain tasks (surveying, measurement; organizing public opinion collection).

d) The management, use, settlement, and final accounting of funds for planning project tasks shall be carried out in accordance with Circular No. 24/2008/TT-BTC dated March 14, 2008 of the Ministry of Finance on the management, use, and settlement of public expenditure for implementing planning tasks and projects and any subsequent amendments, supplements, or replacements (if any).

Article 8. Establishment, review, and approval of the rural development model construction project proposal of the commune

1. The rural development model construction project proposal of the commune must reflect the following basic contents:

a) Results of surveying and evaluating the current rural situation according to the 19 national criteria for the rural development model, the commune's rural planning, ...

b) Objectives of the proposal: Achieving the national criteria for the rural development model commune.

c) List of projects and works aimed at achieving each national criterion for the rural development model commune, with priority order for implementation. Projects and works in the proposal must be within the scope of rural development construction content stipulated in Decision No. 800/QĐ-TTg and implemented according to circulars and guiding documents of relevant ministries and sectors assigned by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 800/QĐ-TTg and specific guiding documents of localities.

d) Overall budget estimate for implementing the proposal, clearly stating the capital requirements from various sources for each project and work as specified in Decision No. 800/QĐ-TTg.

e) Comprehensive plan and roadmap for implementing the proposal (determined for each project and work and capital needs according to each source):

- In the plan, it is necessary to clearly distinguish types of work managed by the commune; types of projects and works assigned to villages; types of work assigned to households to manage on their own; types of work assigned to political social organizations and vocational associations.

- Clearly identify works that require private investment or business funding or external sponsorship.

- The commune's plan must align with the overall planning and plans of the district, the commune's capacity, and involve community participation (with at least 80% of households agreeing).

g) Implementation measures for the proposal: Measures concerning capital, human resources, technology, environmental protection, etc.

2. The rural development model construction project proposal of the commune must involve participation and contribution of opinions from the people, community, and other related entities. The process of soliciting community opinions is as follows:

After the commune management board drafts the proposal (including the list of projects and works and the comprehensive implementation plan), the draft proposal is publicly announced at the commune People's Committee office and sent to village chiefs to organize meetings with all households in the village, with the participation of social organizations to discuss and collect opinions. Citizens' opinions are recorded in minutes and submitted to the commune management board and the commune People's Council. Within 15 days after the public announcement of the draft proposal and after holding meetings to collect citizens' opinions, the commune People's Council organizes a meeting to hear representatives of villages, explanations and feedback from the commune management board, and based on this, issues a resolution to approve the proposal or requests the commune management board to revise certain contents appropriately.

3. After completion, submit the rural development model construction project proposal of the commune for review and approval by the district People's Committee. (content and form refer to the Rural Development Model Construction Handbook of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development).

After being approved by the district People's Committee, the rural development model construction project proposal must be publicly announced for the commune residents to know and implement.

Article 9. Procedure for establishing investment plan to implement the rural development model construction project proposal

1. Plan formulation:

a) The procedure for formulating the implementation plan for the next year's rural development model construction project proposal of the commune is carried out as per the community opinion solicitation process regarding the proposal stipulated in Clause 2, Article 8. The list of prioritized projects and works for investment must be included in the list of projects and works of the commune's rural development model construction project proposal.

b) After being approved by the commune People's Council, the commune management board sends the commune's plan to the district People's Committee for consolidation, review, and approval of the overall county plan, and sends it to the provincial People's Committee, Department of Planning and Investment, Department of Finance, and Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. The provincial People's Committee approves the provincial implementation plan and sends it to the Ministries of Planning and Investment, Finance, and Agriculture and Rural Development for consolidation, serving as the basis for allocating funds.

2. Capital allocation plan:

a) After the annual state budget estimate is approved by the National Assembly and the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development coordinate to announce the total amount of capital for localities.

b) The provincial People's Council decides on the capital allocation plan. The provincial People's Committee directs the Department of Planning and Investment, the Department of Finance, and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to formulate the capital allocation plan and announce it to the districts.

c) The district People's Committee collects allocated capital sources (capital from the program, provincial state budget capital, district state budget capital, capital from integrated programs/projects) and self-raised capital, and allocates capital to each commune.

d) The commune People's Committee directs the commune rural development model management board to allocate capital to each project and submit it to the commune People's Council for approval.

e) The timeframe for formulating the rural development model plan should be consistent with the timeframe for formulating the socio-economic plan (annually and over five years).

Article 10. Economic and Social Infrastructure Development Project

1. Objectives of the project: To meet criteria numbers 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 17 in the National Target Program (NTM) National Criteria.

2. Investment Targets: Construction projects in communes, including new construction, repair, renovation, and upgrading of existing facilities within the commune to meet the standards set forth in the NTM National Criteria.

3. Implementation Content:

a) Completing transportation routes to the commune People's Committee headquarters and the transportation system within the commune;

b) Renovating and constructing new irrigation systems, clean water facilities, and rural environmental sanitation works within the commune;

c) Completing the power supply infrastructure to ensure electricity for daily life and production activities within the commune;

d) Completing the infrastructure to support cultural and sports activities within the commune;

e) Completing the infrastructure to support healthcare standardization within the commune;

g) Completing the infrastructure to support education standardization within the commune;

h) Improving the commune office and auxiliary facilities.

The above contents need clarification regarding timeframes, target groups, scope of implementation, progress, and deployment areas; managing agencies, implementing agencies, coordinating agencies; major solutions for project implementation; total capital requirements and capital structure; regulations on the use and maintenance of facilities.

4. Preparation, Review, and Approval of the Project:

The commune management board is responsible for preparing, submitting to the competent authority for review and approval of the project in accordance with the provisions of the law.

5. Investment Decision and Project Sponsor:

a) Investment Decision

- The district People's Committee is the investment decision-making body, approving feasibility studies for projects funded by the state budget exceeding VND 3 billion in total value.

- The commune People's Committee is the investment decision-making body, approving feasibility studies for projects funded by the state budget up to VND 3 billion in total value.

b) Project Sponsor

The sponsor of construction projects for communal infrastructure as stipulated in Point b, Clause 3, Article 4 of this Joint Circular.

6. Basis for Determining Support Levels: The level of central government support is based on the total investment amount or approved budget estimate by the competent authority; when preparing, it must comply with the provisions of the competent authority such as technical standards, design, norms, and unit prices for each type of facility.

Encouraging residents and communities to voluntarily contribute land for the construction of economic and social infrastructure projects within the commune. Limiting the use of state budget funds for land acquisition and clearance for the construction of economic and social infrastructure projects within the commune.

7. Preparation, Review, and Approval of Feasibility Studies for Construction Projects:

a) Preparation of Feasibility Studies for Construction Projects:

- For infrastructure development projects in communes and villages with implementation periods under two years or construction values up to VND 3 billion, the project sponsor prepares the feasibility study (if the sponsor lacks the capacity, they may hire a consulting entity with legal personality to prepare it). The feasibility study includes: name of the project, investment objectives, construction location, technical scale of the project, construction period, completion time, investment capital sources and mechanisms for raising capital, along with design drawings and cost estimates.

- For projects valued over VND 3 billion, the preparation of feasibility studies, designs, construction drawings, and cost estimates must be carried out by entities with legal personality.

- The cost of preparing feasibility studies is allocated from the annual plan from the state budget investment for the project, program of building the NTM.

b) Review and Approval of Feasibility Studies for Construction Projects:

- The investment decision-maker is responsible for organizing reviews before deciding to approve the feasibility study of the investment project.

+ For projects decided by the district, the district People's Committee assigns specialized agencies to organize the review of feasibility studies.

+ For projects decided by the commune People's Committee: The commune People's Committee organizes the review of feasibility studies, with specialized agencies at the district level supporting the commune during the review process.

- The review period for feasibility studies of projects decided by the district People's Committee shall not exceed ten working days from the date of receipt of complete valid documents, and for projects decided by the commune People's Committee, it shall not exceed seven working days.

- Documents for review and approval of feasibility studies:

+ The commune management board's application for project approval includes: project name, sponsor, investment objectives, construction scale and location, total investment amount, investment capital sources, investment capital mobilization plans, start and completion times, other necessary information.

+ Feasibility study report, design, construction drawings, and cost estimates.

During the investment preparation phase, the project sponsor and consulting units should seek community opinions on feasibility studies, designs, construction drawings, and cost estimates for infrastructure projects. Community opinions must be compiled into minutes and included as mandatory documents in the submission for the competent authority's review and approval of feasibility studies, designs, construction drawings, and cost estimates for infrastructure projects.

8. Selection of Contractors and Approval of Contractor Selection Results:

a) Selection Methods: The selection of contractors for commune infrastructure construction is carried out through three methods:

- Entrusting village communities (direct beneficiaries of the Program) to implement construction themselves;

- Selecting skilled groups or individuals within the commune capable of undertaking construction;

- Selecting contractors through public bidding (as currently regulated).

Encouraging the implementation of the method of entrusting direct beneficiaries of the project, skilled groups, or individuals within the commune capable of undertaking construction.

b) Selection Procedures:

- For the method of entrusting village communities (direct beneficiaries of the Program) to implement construction themselves:

+ The sponsor publicly announces the notice at the commune People's Committee office, village cultural house, market, community meetings, and broadcasts the information on the commune radio station.

In the case where multiple community groups register to participate, the investor shall organize a meeting with the registered groups to publicly select based on criteria such as price, progress, and quality to approve the tender results; the participants invited to attend include representatives of the People's Committee of the commune, social organizations, community oversight boards, village chiefs, and representatives of participating community residents; if only one community group participates within the notification period (as specified by the investor), the investor shall assign that group to carry out the work. If no community group participates, the investor shall select a suitable contractor for negotiation and signing of the contract to implement the project.

- For the selection form involving groups of workers or individuals within the commune who have the capacity to construct:

+ The investor shall announce the tender call through the commune's public address system, post it at the People's Committee of the commune office and communal cultural house, and simultaneously inform the village chiefs to notify the people.

+ The investor (with representatives from community groups in the commune) shall prepare the tender documentation including evaluation standards and criteria for selecting contractors, to be submitted for approval by the People's Committee of the commune. Evaluation standards must be appropriate to the nature of each project as well as specific conditions of the commune and village.

+ Groups of workers or individuals shall have a minimum of ten days to prepare and submit their tender documents to the investor.

+ After the tender document submission deadline, the investor shall organize the opening and evaluation of tenders to select the construction worker group/organization/individual. Participants invited to evaluate include representatives of the People's Committee of the commune, social organizations, community oversight boards, village chiefs, and representatives of the participating construction worker groups/individuals.

Based on the evaluation standards approved by the People's Committee of the commune, the meeting participants shall evaluate and vote to select the worker groups/individuals with sufficient capacity to undertake construction. The meeting minutes, signed by all attendees, shall be submitted to the People's Committee of the commune for approval of the contractor selection results.

+ In the event that only one worker group/organization/individual participates in the tender by the specified deadline, the investor shall negotiate and sign a contract with that group/organization/individual.

- For the selection of contractors through tendering, it shall be carried out according to current regulations.

c) Approving the selection results of construction contractors: The Chairman of the People's Committee of the commune shall approve the selection results of construction units for infrastructure investment projects based on the proposal of the Commune Management Board.

9. Supervision of construction activities:

a) Construction supervision organization includes: the investor, supervisory consultants, author supervisors, and community oversight boards. The investor selects a consultant unit with the capacity to supervise construction. In cases where there is no supervisory consultant organization as required, depending on specific conditions, the investor shall organize construction supervision and bear responsibility for their decision.

b) Community supervision shall be implemented according to Decision No. 80/2005/QĐ-TTg dated May 14, 2005 of the Government Prime Minister regarding the community supervision regulation and Circular Joint No. 04/2006/TTLT-KH&ĐT-UBTƯMTTQVN-TC dated December 4, 2006 of the joint ministries: Planning and Investment, Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, and Finance guiding the implementation of this Decision.

10. Acceptance, handover, and operation management of works:

a) Work acceptance: The investor shall organize the acceptance of completed works, with the acceptance team consisting of representatives of the Commune Management Board; representatives of design consultancy, construction, and supervisory consultancy units; representatives of the investor's supervision, the commune's supervision board, and organizations or individuals responsible for managing and using the works.

b) Handover of management and operation of works: After acceptance, the investor must hand over the works and all related documents to the People's Committee of the commune for transfer to the village, unit, or individual responsible for managing, using, and maintaining the works.

Article 11. Rural Production Development and Industry Support Project

1. Objective: To meet criteria number 10 and 12 of the National New Rural Standard Criteria.

2. Beneficiaries:

a) Household includes: Family households and farm owners in rural areas.

b) Organizations include: Cooperatives (HTX), production groups, small and medium-sized enterprises in rural areas.

3. Implementation Content:

Based on the new rural construction planning and the orientation for agricultural, forestry, fishery economic development, and the needs of the people, localities select appropriate and practical contents aimed at the market, with sustainable income and food security; it is not necessary to invest in all contents simultaneously in the same area to concentrate capital and avoid dispersion. The specific implementation contents are as follows:

a) Supporting agricultural extension activities to help households and organizations access services, apply scientific and technological knowledge, enhance awareness and implement plans to develop rural production and industries within the commune.

b) Supporting the establishment and dissemination of models of new rural production and industries, including: Providing seeds, livestock, aquatic animals, fertilizers, feed, disease prevention and treatment drugs, machinery and equipment, production tools, other materials.

c) Policy and level of support: Apply Article 12, Article 13, and Article 14 of Decree No. 02/2010/NĐ-CP dated January 8, 2010 of the Government on agricultural extension and current regulations.

4. Process of establishing and approving investment plans:

a) Based on the new rural construction project proposal of the commune, the Commune Management Board coordinates with the village head to organize meetings of villagers (village meetings or inter-village meetings) to announce the content, beneficiaries, funding support levels of the new rural construction program and other loanable funds according to policies, self-owned capital of households and organizations (in cash, materials, land, labor...), other mobilized funds, market information, socio-economic development orientations of the commune to enable households and organizations to choose agricultural, forestry, fishery products and small-scale industrial products towards commodity production and attracting local labor.

The Commune Management Board and the village head are responsible for organizing meetings with households, production groups, cooperatives, and small and medium-sized enterprises to discuss and agree on the investment support content (only one or two contents should be selected to focus investment capital for efficiency), report the determined content to the main investor (the commune) for consolidation.

b) The Commune Management Board proceeds to establish the implementation plan and detailed budget estimate of the commune that has been determined and the annual and five-year plans to submit to the People's Committee of the district for approval.

c) The People's Committee of the district compiles the annual and five-year plans of communes, reviews, approves, and reports to the People's Committee of the province.

d) The People's Committee of the province annually, based on the central government's allocated funds and local funds, allocates funds to districts and communes.

5. Management, use, payment, settlement of expenses: carried out in accordance with current state regulations.

Article 12. Project to Reform and Develop Effective Forms of Rural Production Organization

1. Objective of the Project: To meet criterion number 13 of the National New Rural Standard Criteria, with specific objectives as follows:

a) Developing cooperatives, production groups (focusing on agricultural cooperatives), farms, economic linkages in agriculture and rural areas.

b) Enhancing organizational, management, and operational capacity of agricultural cooperatives, production groups, farm owners, and strengthening the effectiveness of economic linkages between farmers and businesses and other economic sectors in rural areas.

2. Implementation content:

a) Organizing annual training and education for specialized staff of Rural Development District Offices, county Agriculture Departments, key cadres of cooperatives, production groups, and agricultural farm owners to:

- Promote and disseminate to raise awareness about cooperatives, production groups, farms, and economic linkages in agriculture and rural areas.

- Enhance the capacity of the state management apparatus for cooperatives, production groups, and farm economies (building databases, developing networked computer systems for farms, cooperatives, consolidating the state management apparatus, etc.), to update new knowledge on management, markets, and policies for collective and farm economies.

b) Building training and education materials:

- The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development leads in building training programs and materials on cooperatives, production groups, farms, and organizing training for teachers and staff of provincial Rural Development District Offices; organizing the construction of model farms, production groups, cooperatives, and economic linkages in agriculture and rural areas representing different regions and product categories; organizing the construction of databases on cooperatives, production groups, and farms and other activities to strengthen state management capacity.

- Provincial Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development coordinate with relevant departments to organize training for cooperative, production group, and farm owner cadres in the province; organizing the construction of model farms, production groups, cooperatives, and economic linkages in agriculture and rural areas.

c) Supporting the establishment of new cooperatives and production groups: The level of support for establishing new cooperatives and production groups, training and education costs for improving the capacity of cooperative and production group management cadres and farm owners shall be implemented in accordance with Circular No. 66/2006/TT-BTC dated July 17, 2006 of the Ministry of Finance guiding the implementation of Decree No. 88/2005/NĐ-CP dated July 11, 2005 of the Government on financial support regimes for cooperative founders preparing to establish, and training and education targets of cooperatives; Circular No. 97/2010/TT-BTC dated July 6, 2010 of the Ministry of Finance and related guiding documents (if applicable).

d) Supporting the establishment of models of production and business organization management, linkage models connecting production with consumption and processing of agricultural products.

- The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development leads and directs provincial Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development to build and test some models to determine appropriate funding support levels and management systems. The level and content of support for building collective economic models include:

+ Costs for organizing training and education classes, implemented in accordance with Clause 13 of this Circular;

+ Costs for conferences, inspections, supervision, and guidance in accordance with current regulations of the Ministry of Finance;

||| Support for the construction and improvement of economic infrastructure; the purchase of machinery, equipment, and material assets to serve the development of production shall be carried out in accordance with the provisions of Articles 10 and 11 of this Circular.

||| 4. Procedure for drafting and approving plans:

||| a) The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development shall take the lead in drafting plans for activities to be submitted to the People's Committee of the province for approval. Funding for implementation shall be allocated from the state budget's operating expenses.

||| b) For communes:

||| - The commune management board shall be responsible for notifying the content, beneficiaries, and support capital of the New Rural Area Construction Program for discussion, deliberation, and determination of the required support content.

||| - Cooperatives and cooperative groups in the area shall propose plans and budgets for support and submit them to the commune management board for consolidation. For farms and households proposing support, they shall submit through the village head. The village head shall be responsible for collecting and submitting to the commune management board for consolidation.

||| - The commune management board shall consolidate the commune-wide plan and submit it to the competent authority for approval.

||| Article 13. Training and Capacity Building Projects for Cadres Involved in New Rural Area Construction.

1. Objectives:

||| a) Enhance knowledge and management, organizational leadership, and implementation capabilities for cadres involved in new rural area construction at the central, provincial, and district levels (referred to as provincial level); county, city, and town levels (referred to as district level); commune and village levels to meet the requirements of the program.

||| b) Specific objectives: By 2012, 100% of cadres eligible for training and capacity building shall have basic knowledge about new rural area construction. In subsequent years, only supplementary or advanced training will be provided.

||| 2. Target Groups for Training and Capacity Building:

||| a) Central-level cadres involved in new rural area construction, including: Cadres at the department and bureau level and below working in relevant ministries and agencies tasked with implementing the new rural area construction program, and staff of the Office for Coordination of the New Rural Area Construction Program;

||| b) Provincial-level cadres involved in new rural area construction, including: Cadres from relevant departments and agencies tasked with implementing the new rural area construction program, members of the Provincial Steering Committee for New Rural Area Construction, and staff of the Provincial Office for Coordination of the New Rural Area Construction Program;

||| c) District-level cadres involved in new rural area construction, including: Cadres from relevant departments and agencies tasked with implementing the new rural area construction program, members of the District Steering Committee for New Rural Area Construction;

||| d) Commune level: All cadres from the Party, government, and mass organizations at the commune and village levels, members of village development boards, leaders of enterprises, cooperatives, and farm owners within the commune.

||| 3. Training and Capacity Building Content for Each Target Group:

||| a) Central and provincial-level cadres involved in new rural area construction:

||| - Policies and guidelines of the Party and State on new rural area construction;

||| - Contents of new rural area construction according to Decision No. 800/QĐ-TTg dated June 4, 2010 of the Prime Minister and related guiding documents;

||| - Policies and experiences of countries that have successfully developed rural areas;

||| - Principles, methods, and operational mechanisms in new rural area construction;

||| - Methods of directing, managing, and overseeing the new rural area construction program nationwide and in each province;

||| - Visiting practical models of rural development both domestically and internationally.

||| b) District and commune-level cadres involved in new rural area construction:

||| - Policies and guidelines of the Party and State on new rural area construction;

||| - Contents of new rural area construction according to Decision No. 800/QĐ-TTg dated June 4, 2010 of the Prime Minister and related guiding documents;

||| - Policies and experiences of countries that have successfully developed rural areas;

||| - Principles, methods, and operational mechanisms in new rural area construction (guiding principles, financial mechanisms, resource mobilization mechanisms, investment capital management mechanisms, and operating funds in the new rural area construction program);

||| - Procedures and steps for implementing new rural area construction at the commune level;

||| - Skills and methods for directing new rural area construction;

||| - Economic development and effective forms of agricultural production organization in rural areas;

||| - Democratic regulations at the grassroots level and community participation in implementing the new rural area construction program: organizing meetings, compiling opinions, planning, supervising investments; community supervision mechanisms;

||| - Skills in propaganda and mobilizing people and communities to participate in new rural area construction;

||| - Visiting and studying practical models of new rural area construction domestically.

||| 4. Duration and Forms of Training and Capacity Building:

||| a) Forms of training and capacity building:

||| - Conducting centralized classes;

||| - Providing guidance and advice through mass media;

||| - Visiting and learning from practical models and exemplary cases.

||| b) Duration of centralized training and capacity building:

||| - Training and capacity building for central and provincial-level cadres involved in new rural area construction: The duration of each class shall not exceed seven days, suitable for each type of cadre and training content.

||| - Training and capacity building for district and commune-level cadres, village cadres, farm owners, and enterprise leaders: The duration of each class shall not exceed ten days (for commune management boards, if deemed necessary, additional training may be conducted, with the duration determined based on the actual content and needs of the locality).

||| 5. Training and Capacity Building Materials: Training and capacity building materials shall be compiled and published by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in coordination with relevant ministries and agencies and the Provincial Steering Committees (Provincial Steering Committees may supplement materials based on local specific conditions).

||| 6. Drafting Plans for Training and Capacity Building:

||| a) Plans for training and capacity building for central and provincial-level cadres: Based on priority issues during the implementation of the program, the Central Coordination Office shall assess training needs and compile statistics on the target groups requiring training at each level; coordinate with the Ministry of Finance's specialized agency to prepare a budget estimate, submit to the Central Steering Committee for decision.

||| b) Plans for training and capacity building for district and commune-level cadres: The Provincial Steering Committee shall direct districts and communes to assess training needs and compile statistics on the target groups requiring training at each level, along with a budget estimate. The Provincial Coordination Office shall consolidate the budget for review by the Planning and Finance Departments, submit to the Provincial Steering Committee for approval and implementation, clearly defining the responsibilities of the province and district in organizing the implementation.

c) The project's budget is allocated from the state budget's public expenditure funds, with the maximum amount for travel and study within and outside the province not exceeding 20% of the total planned capital budget for annual training programs.

The use of the project's training and development funds shall be carried out as follows:

- Printing costs for various training materials shall be implemented according to current regulations;

- Costs for compiling curricula and textbooks: The applicable expenditure level is stipulated in Circular Joint No. 112/2010/TTLT-BTC-LDTBXH dated July 30, 2010, issued by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs guiding the management and use of funds for implementing the "Vocational Training Program for Rural Workers until 2020";

- Payment for foreign lecturers and experts (if any) shall be made at the levels prescribed in Circular No. 139/2010/TT-BTC dated September 21, 2010, issued by the Ministry of Finance regarding the preparation of budgets, management, and use of state budget funds for cadre and civil servant training and development;

- Support for food, accommodation, transportation, office supplies, drinking water, and other expenses for trainees and representatives during the training period shall be carried out according to Circular No. 97/2010/TT-BTC dated July 6, 2010, issued by the Ministry of Finance concerning work expense regulations and expense rules for organizing conferences for state agencies and public service units;

Based on the expenditure levels specified in central guidelines, the Provincial People's Committee directs the implementation of expenditure levels for each item in accordance with the provincial conditions.

Article 14. Inspection, Supervision, Evaluation, and Reporting of Results

1. Inspection, Supervision, and Evaluation:

a) The Provincial Steering Committee is directly and comprehensively responsible for the quality, progress, and effectiveness of the New Rural Development Program in the province. Based on the objectives of the New Rural Development Program for the 2010-2020 period and the actual conditions of the province, it directs the County Steering Committees to establish targets to be achieved annually, by phase, and upon completion of the program to serve as a basis for monitoring and evaluating the program's results throughout the province.

b) The Provincial Steering Committee directs relevant units and County Steering Committees to regularly organize inspections of the program's implementation; compile and report evaluation results to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

c) The Provincial Steering Committee directs departments, sectors, counties, and related units to create conditions for local People's Councils at all levels, the Vietnam Fatherland Front, and social organizations at all levels, and the community to participate in supervision and cooperate in supervising the program's implementation.

d) The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development:

- Takes the lead in coordinating with relevant ministries and sectors to propose plans and organize annual, mid-term, and final inspections, supervision, and evaluation of the program's implementation;

- Coordinates with the State Audit Agency to develop annual audit plans for the program's implementation and submit them to the Government for decision.

2. Reporting System for Implementation Results:

a) Based on the monitoring and evaluation indicators for the program's implementation results issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Provincial Steering Committee is responsible for directing the organization of data collection and reporting at all local levels to compile and report to the Central Steering Committee. Each level's program steering committee must have dedicated staff for reporting and consolidation. For disbursement figures, before submitting reports, the project sponsors must reconcile figures with those confirmed by the State Treasury (ST) at the account opening location.

b) Quarterly and annual periodic reports shall be submitted in accordance with the reporting system and forms for the New Rural Development Program for the 2010-2020 period as prescribed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

c) The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development compiles and reports to the Central Steering Committee every six months and annually.

Chapter 3

MANAGEMENT MECHANISM FOR FUNDS IN NEW RURAL DEVELOPMENT CONSTRUCTION

Article 15. Sources of Capital for Implementation

1. The New Rural Development Program shall be funded from multiple sources of capital:

a) State budget funds (central and local), including:

- Funds from national target programs and support programs/projects with specific objectives that are being implemented and will continue to be implemented in subsequent years within the area;

- Directly allocated funds for the Program to implement contents according to Decision No. 800/QĐ-TTg dated June 4, 2010 of the Prime Minister.

b) Government bond funds (if available): For investment in projects and programs according to the Resolution of the National Assembly;

c) Credit funds, including: State development investment credit and commercial credit;

d) Corporate investment funds;

e) Voluntary contributions from people in the commune; funds mobilized from the community (voluntary contributions and non-reimbursable aid from domestic and foreign enterprises, organizations, and individuals);

g) Other lawful sources of capital.

2. For national target programs and support programs/projects being implemented within the area and integrated into the New Rural Development Program, they shall be carried out in accordance with the provisions of guiding documents for these programs.

3. The People's Committee of the province has the responsibility to mobilize local resources, resources from units, organizations, and various strata of the population within and outside the province, and integrate other programs and projects within the area to implement them.

4. Mobilization mechanisms:

a) Integrating the capital sources of national target programs; support programs/projects with specific objectives within the area, including: National target programs, support programs/projects with specific objectives currently being implemented in rural areas and continuing to be implemented in subsequent years, and direct state budget support funds for the New Rural Development Program - including government bonds (if available);

b) Maximizing the mobilization of local resources (province, district, commune) to organize and implement the Program. The Provincial People's Council shall stipulate increasing the proportion of funds obtained from land auction prices to allocate land with land use fees or lease land in communes (after deducting costs) to remain in the commune budget, at least 70% for implementing New Rural Development Program contents, but not exceeding the total investment amount approved by the competent authority;

c) Mobilizing corporate investment funds for projects capable of directly recovering capital; corporations may borrow state development investment credit or provincial-level cities may receive state budget support after investment and enjoy investment incentives as prescribed by law;

d) Voluntary contributions from people in the commune for each specific project, approved by the Commune People's Council;

đ) Non-reimbursable aid from domestic and foreign enterprises, organizations, and individuals for investment projects;

e) Credit funds:

- State investment credit allocated by the central government to provinces and cities under the program for canal consolidation, rural road development, aquaculture infrastructure, and village craft infrastructure in rural areas, as specified in Decree No. 106/2008/NĐ-CP dated September 19, 2008 of the Government and any subsequent amendments and supplements (if applicable).

- Commercial credit as prescribed in Decree No. 41/2010/NĐ-CP dated April 12, 2010 of the Government on credit policies serving agriculture and rural areas and Circular No. 14/2010/TT-NHNN dated June 14, 2010 of the State Bank guiding the implementation of this Decree.

g) Mobilizing other lawful financial resources.

Article 16. Management Mechanism

The management of funds shall be carried out as follows:

1. For objects where state budget support constitutes 50% or more of the capital, the provisions of this Circular shall apply.

2. For objects where state budget support constitutes less than 50% of the capital, the management mechanism shall be self-defined by the Commune Management Board and the sponsor (if any). For objects using ODA funds, implementation shall follow the Agreement signed with the ODA provider.

3. Integration Principle:

a) All projects and works supported from the state budget implemented within the commune must comply with the National Criteria for New Rural Areas;

b) Integration of funds on the commune level to implement one or more programs, projects, systems, policies, and expenditure items;

c) The integration of funds shall be carried out from the planning, allocation, budgeting, investment development plan, organization of implementation, supervision, and evaluation stages;

d) During the process of integrating funds, it must ensure that the objectives, total investment development capital, and assigned public expenditure amounts remain unchanged.

Article 17. Allocation and Utilization of Investment Funds

1. Allocation of project and policy funds:

a) Budget preparation, allocation, and management shall be conducted in accordance with the State Budget Law and guiding documents;

b) Principles of allocation:

- Central government budget support for provinces shall be based on the central government's financial capacity and allocated according to the number of communes, the degree of difficulty of the provinces, and prioritizing areas performing well. Based on the amount of central government budget support, provinces shall allocate to each commune according to their completion of the National Criteria for New Rural Areas, avoiding equal distribution.

- For localities not receiving central government support or partial support, they must allocate funds from the local budget annually and over the period to implement the program according to the progress approved by the competent authority.

2. Utilization of central government budget funds:

a) Central government budget funds can only be used to support the target (project) as stipulated in Point 3, Section VI of Decision 800/QĐ-TTg and the guidance of this Circular.

- Public expenditure funds: Prioritize supporting planning work; developing commune-level new rural area construction plans; propaganda activities; operations of the Steering Committee at all levels; training knowledge about new rural area construction for commune cadres, village cadres, and cooperative cadres; production and service development.

- Development investment funds: Mobilize and integrate from the sources of national target programs and targeted support programs on the local level to focus on implementing infrastructure projects such as roads to commune centers; building commune offices; schools meeting standards; health stations; cultural houses; water supply and drainage facilities for residential areas; village roads; intra-field roads and irrigation channels; production and service development; village cultural houses; sports facilities; infrastructure for concentrated production areas, small-scale industries, and aquaculture.

b) For construction materials, crop seeds, livestock breeds, and other goods purchased from residents for use in new rural area construction projects, prices must be consistent with the general market level in the same period; payment vouchers are purchase receipts with confirmation from the village head of the selling village, confirmed by the People's Committee of the commune.

c) Operating expenses of the local steering committee at various levels for the program shall be extracted from 1.0% of the direct support budget for the program to cover: inspection and supervision activities; organizing meetings to deploy, review, and conclude the program implementation; travel expenses for cadres attending central, provincial, and county conferences and training sessions; office equipment for steering committee activities. The Provincial People's Committee will specifically allocate operating expenses for the steering committees at various levels in the locality. Depending on specific circumstances and local budget capacity, the Provincial People's Committee may provide additional operating expenses for the steering committee from the local budget.

d) Investment funds for implementing the new rural area construction program from the budget must be centrally managed and settled through the Treasury. For contributions in kind, labor days, or completed works, based on the unit price of the goods and the value of labor days, the finance department shall convert them into Vietnamese dong to issue revenue orders, simultaneously issuing expenditure orders sent to the Treasury for transaction processing, recording the value of the project and incorporating it into the state budget revenue and expenditure.

e) Based on the supplementary budget targets from the central government for local budgets assigned by the competent authority to provinces within the program scope; the Minister of Finance shall transfer funds to localities according to current regulations.

3. On management, settlement, and final accounting of investment funds:

a) Management, settlement, and final accounting of investment funds for projects (works) where the commune People's Committee is the principal investor: Follow the guidelines set forth in Circular No. 75/2008/TT-BTC dated August 28, 2008, issued by the Ministry of Finance on managing investment funds from the commune, town, and township budgets.

b) Management and utilization of project management costs by the Commune Management Board: Follow Circular No. 72/2010/TT-BTC dated May 11, 2010, issued by the Ministry of Finance on special mechanisms for managing and utilizing project management costs in 11 communes implementing the "Pilot Program for Building a New Rural Model during Industrialization and Modernization" and any subsequent amendments.

c) Management, settlement, and final accounting of investment funds for other projects (works) shall be carried out in accordance with current guiding documents of the Ministry of Finance.

Chapter 4

IMPLEMENTATION

Article 18. Responsibilities of Ministries

1. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is the permanent agency of the New Rural Development Program, with the task of assisting the Central Steering Committee to direct the implementation of the Program nationwide:

a) To take the lead and coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors in drafting and promulgating guiding documents for localities to implement the New Rural Development Program: Handbook, assessment framework, village-level development project proposal framework, guidelines for implementing national criteria for new rural areas, production planning...

b) To take the lead and coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors in developing five-year and annual plans regarding objectives, tasks, solutions, and financial requirements for the Program's implementation, and submit them to the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance for consolidation and reporting to the Government;

c) To urge, inspect, and supervise the implementation of the Program by central ministries, sectors, and provinces/cities directly under the Central Government, consolidate reports to the Central Steering Committee and the Government.

2. The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Finance and other relevant ministries and sectors in balancing and allocating resources for the Program from the central budget; to develop mechanisms for integration and management of the Program's implementation.

3. The Ministry of Finance shall take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in balancing funds from the budget for specific tasks of the New Rural Development Program in accordance with the State Budget Law.

Article 19. Responsibilities of Provincial People's Committees at all levels

1. Provincial People's Committees directly under the Central Government:

a) To concretize and guide in accordance with the locality's conditions and characteristics, and direct, inspect, supervise, and urge implementation.

b) To assign the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development as the Permanent Agency of the Program. The Permanent Agency shall take the lead and coordinate with provincial departments and sectors to assist the Provincial People's Committee in managing the Program and shall have the following responsibilities:

- To coordinate with the provincial Departments of Planning and Investment and Finance to guide districts in preparing annual plans, aggregate the annual capital plan for the New Rural Development Program within their jurisdiction, and report to the Provincial People's Committee;

- To aggregate the capital plan for projects under the Program for new rural development of the districts and submit them to the provincial Departments of Planning and Investment and Finance for integration of capital sources within their jurisdiction;

- Based on guidance from central ministries and sectors, to take the lead and coordinate with related units to advise the Provincial People's Committee to issue appropriate guidance in accordance with local conditions;

- To implement certain components of investment projects, enhance the capacity of new rural construction cadres when assigned by the Provincial People's Committee;

- To assist the Provincial Steering Committee for the New Rural Development Program in organizing inspections, monitoring, evaluations, and consolidating reports according to provincial regulations and the Central Steering Committee;

- To perform other tasks assigned by the Provincial People's Committee.

2. District People's Committees: Lead the district New Rural Development Steering Committee to complete tasks stipulated in Clause 2, Article 4 of this Circular.

3. Commune People's Committees: Lead the commune management board and village development board to complete tasks stipulated in Clause 3 and Clause 4, Article 4 of this Circular.

Chapter 5

IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS

Article 20. This Circular takes effect from June 1, 2011.

During implementation, if there are difficulties or obstacles, organizations and individuals involved are requested to reflect these issues to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for coordination with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance to study and resolve them./.