Hangzhou: Provincial-level government agencies in Zhejiang are taking a range of actions to cut their spending and improve efficiency in order to funnel more funds to the public.
Zhejiang recently issued measures to establish a comprehensive evaluation system comprised of 23 specific indicators, covering control of personnel expenses, reduction of administrative costs and use of assets, said the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Finance. The measures aim to cut spending, reduce nonurgent and nonrigid expenditures, and ensure more finances are used to improve people’s basic livelihoods.
The department stipulated that 153 Party and government organs and other public institutions managed under the Civil Service Law in Zhejiang should adopt a savings-oriented approach, and set a good example for society on the virtues of sustainability and frugality.
An evaluation mechanism will be set up to evaluate the success of the new measures. Five-star, four-star and three-star rankings will be issued on the efforts of departments and institutions to cut out unnecessary expenses. The evaluations will play an important part in the prioritization of budget arrangements in the coming years. Party and government organs should take the lead in exhibiting frugality, the department said For example, more effective control of expenditure on public meetings, official vehicles, food and accommodation, training, and forums will be adopted. At the same time, government agencies are required to allocate more funds to programs that improve people’s lives so that the province’s limited resources are used to maximize social and livelihood benefits.
Zhejiang’s general public budget expenditure in the first half of this year was 661.2 billion yuan ($91.4 billion), official statistics showed. Expenditure on education, social security and employment, health care, housing security and others totaled 295.1 billion yuan, accounting for 44.6 percent of the general public budget expenditure, according to the Provincial Bureau of Statistics. –The Daily Mail-China Daily exchange item
