Project enhances capacity in involuntary resettlement in energy sector

Hanoi (VNA) – As many as 34 training courses were organised for officers from Vietnamese land fund development organisations to enhance their capacity in planning and implementing involuntary resettlement in the country’s grid investments in central and southern localities.

They were part of the World Bank (WB)-funded project “Capacity building for involuntary resettlement in energy sector in Vietnam”, which was carried out in districts of Binh Phuoc, Tay Ninh, Binh Duong, Quang Ngai and Binh Dinh provinces in the past three years, heard a project closing workshop held on November 22.

The project cost 480,000 USD, with 400,000 USD coming from the WB and the remainder from state corresponding fund. It was managed and implemented by the Central Power Project Management Board (CPMB)

Objectives of the project were fully achieved, bringing practical benefits to localities and the CPMB in land reclamation, public consultancies and acceleration of planning and ratification of compensation plans, said Vu Tran Nguyen, Vice President of the National Power Transmission Corporation (EVNNPT).

Meanwhile, Portfolio & Operations Manager of the WB Vietnam Achim Fock lauded the EVNNPT and the CPMB for their efforts to ensure the project’s progress.

Participants at the workshop suggested that more similar programmes be implemented to enhance capacity for land fund development staff. Meanwhile, experience sharing in land reclamation and compensation for land clearance should also be made.

They stressed that software application in land clearance compensation showed effective as it helped shorten time and cut procedures.

They also asked the WB to provide further support programmes in power transmission grid in Vietnam as well as back the localities in other energy development projects.-VNA