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Public welfare, gov't thrift stressed locally in economic growth

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-01-15 22:06

BEIJING - With a challenging 2009 ahead, government thrift, public welfare and economic growth have become key words on the agendas of China's local authorities.

At the annual provincial legislative sessions being held across the country, officials have vowed to cut administrative expenditure and invest more in public welfare-related projects to ensure economic growth.

In Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, a public welfare draft plan was submitted for discussion to the regional People's Congress annual session which opened Wednesday.

"It is the first time a specific public welfare plan has been submitted and reviewed at a provincial legislature in our country, " said Ma Ruiwen, deputy chairman of the standing committee of the regional congress.

People's welfare, or "minsheng" in Chinese, mainly refers to the general living conditions, including housing, education, health care and care for the elderly.

Responding to the global economic slowdown, the central government announced in November a 4-trillion-yuan (US$584 billion) stimulus package that included 280 billion yuan for affordable housing schemes, 370 billion yuan for improving rural living standards and infrastructure, and 40 billion yuan for health and education programs.

Ningxia's draft, formulated after soliciting public opinion, has measures such as helping 380,000 people gain access to safe drinking water and subsidies or low-rent housing for 30,000 urban low-income families.

"The draft reflects the government's promise of putting people's interests first and care for their basic well-being," said Ma.

Ningxia's 2009 draft budget allocates 2.64 billion yuan (US$386 million) for employment, education, housing and healthcare causes.

Other provincial governments have also made it a priority to invest tens of billions of yuan in public welfare-related programs.

Eastern Anhui Province will expand its number of public welfare programs from 18 to 28 with investment increasing by 4.4 billion yuan to reach 22 billion yuan, said Governor Wang Sanyun at the provincial legislative session Wednesday.

"The more difficult the situation, the more importance we should attach to guaranteeing and improving people's basic livelihoods," said acting governor Guo Gengmao, of central Henan Province, which neighbors Anhui.

Henan will raise at least 45 billion yuan to solve problems crucial to public interests so as to improve living standards, said Guo at Henan provincial legislature session Monday.

In the 9.1-billion-yuan rural development scheme for 2009, the province will help some 3 million rural residents gain access to safe drinking water and 1.1 million yuan to eradicating poverty.

"People's sense of wellbeing does not come from gross domestic growth figures," said Wu Xiaoling, deputy head of the financial and economic committee of the National People's Congress, the country's top legislature.

"Only when the government steps up efforts and puts public welfare on top of the agenda can steady economic growth be achieved," said Wu at a financial seminar on Tuesday in southwestern Guizhou Province.

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