Government urges officials to be thrifty

By Fu Jing (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-06-21 09:13

The country's civil servants have been told to exercise thrift in carrying out their duties amid ongoing relief and reconstruction efforts for the May 12 Sichuan quake, a senior official has said.

"The challenges ahead require immediate action to become a thrifty government," Xun Huanzhong, deputy director of the State Council's Government Office Administration (GOA), said in an online interview at central government news portal www. gov.cn on Thursday.

The current global price hikes of energy and grain were also cited as some of the challenges being faced.

Some of the ways public servants were urged to practice thrift included opting for buffets instead of ordering tables of dishes that went to waste when entertaining guests.

They were also advised to organize videoconferences rather than travel to holiday resorts to hold meetings.

"Every action of civil servants counts," Xun said.

Civil servants in the 100-odd agencies under the Party, State Council, legislative and political advisory bodies should take the lead in the drive, he said.

The GOA has also been rolling out similar resource-saving measures that involve the use of government vehicles and buildings, he said.

Government officials have been urged to become "green commuters" by taking public transport such as the subway or bus, or even carpool with friends and colleagues - by leaving their vehicles at home for at least one day every week.

The central government has managed to cut down the number of state vehicles by 1,270 in recent years, Xun said, helping to save fuel "by a large margin".

Beijing resident Liu Xiaojun, 40, said the capital's maturing public transport system has enabled civil servants at various levels to opt for green commuting.

"On the other hand, civil servants should always be required by law to be thrifty," Liu said.

"It should not be lip service or just a show put up during an energy-saving week," Liu said.

The government has made it national policy to conserve energy and resources, with this past week being designated "National Energy-Saving Week".

All central government offices were required to equip themselves with energy-saving bulbs by the end of last year, in line with instructions from Premier Wen Jiabao.

"All lights in central government offices have been equipped with energy-saving bulbs," Xun said.

Wen has also shown concern over the wasteful spending on food, Xun said.

All Cabinet ministers are currently taking measures to save food supplies and cut down on wastage, Xun said.

"As a nation, we have a long tradition and culture of thrift," Xun said.

"But it's a pity we often eat and drink extravagantly, at the personal or public level."