The province is currently implementing 16 projects and emergency resettlement plans targeting 1,858 households that must move out of high-risk zones. The total investment exceeds VND 2,108 billion ($84.3 million). Local authorities and project management boards have largely completed legal procedures and finalized detailed 1/500 planning schemes, allowing construction work to move forward.
At the same time, local governments are expediting compensation, site clearance and infrastructure development at resettlement sites. Several projects have already handed over land for ground leveling, internal road construction and installation of electricity and water supply systems.
Progress has been particularly notable in the western part of the province. Site clearance has been completed or nearly completed in several communes, including Ia Dreh (5.77 of 5.77 hectares), Ia Hiao (15.53 of 15.65 hectares), Đăk Song (3.92 of 3.92 hectares), Uar (32.09 of 33.78 hectares), and Ia Rsai (10.13 of 10.13 hectares).
In eastern Gia Lai, site clearance has also advanced at several projects. Phase one of the Tra Cong hamlet resettlement area in An Hoa commune has fully handed over 4.08 hectares, while phase two has reached 6.21 of the planned 7.27 hectares.
The Nui Ganh resettlement area in De Gi commune has completed the handover of 4.75 hectares, while the disaster-prone resettlement project in Phu My Dong commune has handed over 10 of 14.15 hectares.
The early availability of cleared land has allowed many infrastructure components to begin construction, and some households have already started building homes. In the An Quang Dong hamlet resettlement area in De Gi commune, eight households have completed their houses and moved in.
One major project, the centralized resettlement area in Diem 9 hamlet in Ia Hiao commune, covers more than 15.65 hectares and includes 202 land lots, expected to accommodate 180 households. The project has a total investment of more than VND 121.39 billion ($4.86 million).
Compensation and site clearance for this project have been completed for 32 affected households, covering 15.53 hectares, with compensation payments totaling more than VND 14.37 billion ($574,800).
At the construction site, contractors are working intensively to level the ground and build internal roads, with heavy machinery operating continuously to complete key infrastructure components.
Nguyen Van Thuong, head of the Rural Development Division under the Department of Agriculture and Environment, said construction teams are prioritizing areas where land has already been handed over, focusing on clearing weathered soil, filling and leveling ground surfaces.
Despite the progress, officials said the projects still face obstacles related mainly to compensation procedures, land documentation and site clearance.
Cao Thanh Thuong, director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment, said unresolved land records and disagreements over compensation plans in some localities have slowed project implementation.
In Ia Tul commune, for example, around 3.9 hectares of land required for construction have yet to be handed over. Authorities have requested the commune to finalize compensation plans to speed up site clearance.
Similarly, Phu My Dong commune still needs to approve compensation for the remaining 4.15 hectares of the disaster-prone resettlement project, while An Hoa commune must finalize compensation for the remaining 1.06 hectares in phase two of the Tra Cong project.
Provincial authorities said departments and local governments will strengthen coordination to resolve land procedures and accelerate site clearance. They also plan to intensify communication campaigns to build public support for relocation to safer areas.
Funding from both central and local budgets, as well as national targeted programs, will continue to be prioritized for these projects, alongside initiatives to support livelihoods, production development and essential infrastructure in the new settlements.
Officials say accelerating resettlement efforts in disaster-prone areas is crucial not only for protecting residents but also for helping relocated households stabilize their lives and sustain long-term development.