The Hanoi People’s Committee has decided to raise the compensation rate for local residents whose agricultural land is appropriated by the State, with immediate effect.

The decision is in line with the Government’s new decree on agricultural land planning and compensation.

Nguyen Duc Bien, head of Hanoi City’s land Clearance Steering Committee, said the new compensation rates were more than five times higher than the current levels.

Under the new decision, people who have had between 30-70 percent of their agricultural land repossessed, will be given financial support for the transitional period of six months.

If they are forced to move to another locality, they will be given State support for 12 transitional months.

Residents who have more than 70 percent of their agricultural land repossesed by the State, will be given State support for 24 months.

In addition, they will receive cash equal to five times the value of their repossesed land for vocational training.

Bien said the compensation would help farmers find new jobs.

If residents are resettled, they will be given the choice of receiving alternative land for housing, an apartment with a minimum area of 45 sq.m, or a piece of land for non-agricultural trade.

If households want to find accommodation by themselves, they will be given 100 million VND (5,550 USD) to pay for the move.

People with agricultural land in Dong Anh and Soc So districts previously received 135,000 VND (7.5 USD) per square metre in compensation. Now, under the new regulation, they will receive more than 1 million VND (55.5 USD) per square metre.

The city’s decision also stipulates that compensation levels determined before the new regulation came into effect would remain unchanged./.