The promulgation of a law covering the development of greater Hanoi, known as the Capital Law, will create a solid legal foundation for the construction and management of the city, National Assembly deputies said on November 5.

The draft law has four chapters and 33 articles, listing 16 specific policies and mechanisms for the city as the nation's political and administrative centre.

These focus on seven areas: planning, culture, education and training, science and technology, the environment, economics and finance - and security, social law and order.

Most deputies agreed that specific policies were needed for the capital because it is the country's heart, the home of many important political and administrative offices and international organisations.

Deputies Dao Trong Thi from Hanoi and Le Van Hoc from Central Highlands Lam Dong province said that to develop, the broader capital city region needed priority in investment, financial mechanisms and human resources.

Hoc also outlined that specific policies should be accompanied by those which provide strict management and that the capital should be a model for the whole country in management and operation activities.

He also suggested that the law should have an article outlining the way to move industrial production, education and medical units to the outskirts areas to reduce population and traffic density.

He added that although this had been promoted for several years, the city had still failed to achieve much because everybody wanted to live in the city.

Deputy Nguyen Thanh Hai from northern Hoa Binh province said that beside the privileges and special advantages for the capital, the draft mentioned nothing about the side effects of urbanisation and increasing population.

Many deputies said they were concerned that an increase in Hanoi 's population would pose many challenges to socio-economic development if attempts were not made to tighten the movement of people from outer to inner areas seeking work.

Deputy Nguyen Duc Chung from Hanoi City said Hanoi 's population had increased dramatically in the past five years.

According to Chung, the city has more than 1.8 million households with 7.1 million people, of which nearly 1million are said to be temporary residents.

Most deputies backed a proposal to make Khue Van Cac (Van Mieu Temple of Literature) the capital's symbol.

The deputies also discussed amendments and supplements to the Law on Personal Income Tax and the Law on Conciliation Work at the local levels.

Most agreed with the draft Law on Personal Income Tax which wants to raise family deductions to 9 million VND (432 USD) instead of 4 million VND (192 USD) per month; raise the deduction for dependants to 3.6 million VND (172 USD) instead of 1.6 million VND (76 USD) per month; and adjust family deductions if there is price volatility of more than 20 percent.

In terms of Law on Conciliation Work, most deputies agreed with the need to issue the law after 13 years of implementing an ordinance on grassroots reconciliation work.

This would promote people's choices of solving disputes, making it unnecessary to take them to State agencies or people's courts.-VNA