Township itemizes spending online
- Source: Global Times
- [09:05 March 16 2010]
- Comments
By An Baijie
In an effort to demonstrate it is serious about self-discipline, a township government in Southwest China's Sichuan Province is making it a habit to list all of its expenditures on its official website.
One of the items listed is a notebook for 1.5 yuan ($0.22).
Ou Mingqing, chief of the Baimiao township in Bazhou, told the Global Times Monday that the local government started publicizing its income and expenses in January.
Ou said the move could help stop misunderstanding between the public and the government.
"For example, in order to improve the rural electric grid, we collected 130 yuan ($19) from each rural family in 2007 and then allocated the money to the local electric grid company for the renovation work," Ou said. "All of that was publicized through our website, so although the rural electric grid hasn't been fully improved till now, the public can understand that their money was not embezzled by the government."
"Some rural families couldn't use their television to watch the military parade during the National Day holiday last year because of the imperfection of the electric grid," Ou said. "But the rural residents didn't blame our government because they knew from the website that the money had already been given to the electric grid company."
The website also showed the salaries and allowances given to the township's administrative workers. It said the Party chief receives 2,929 yuan ($429) a month.
Ou said that some local authorities offer all kinds of allowances and bonuses to their workers under various labels.
"Each penny the authorities spend is under public supervision through the website, so the government would not abuse the money any more," Ou said.
Some expenses included peanuts and mineral water.
However, Ou said some Web users felt that the information was not detail enough because it didn't record which shops or restaurants enjoyed the government's business. They plan to add the details.
Zhang Yingshang, the local Party chief, said the idea came in response to Premier Wen Jiabao's January request to publicize government spending.
