National

Regional

Taiwan, HK, Macao

Special Coverage

Focus

Society

Profiles

Joint circular orders officials to spend less

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-02-28 09:53

The Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council on Friday jointly issued a circular urging all Party members to be thrifty at their work places in order to help weather the global financial crisis.

All Party officials will be banned from traveling abroad for leisure using public money. Local government budgets for overseas trips would be cut by 20 percent, compared to the yearly average amount for the past three years, it said.

The number of groups and individuals going abroad would also be restricted.

As for expenditure on vehicles at government departments, the circular said costs must be lowered by 15 percent this year.

Government expenses on entertainment and public relations would also be trimmed by 10 percent, it said.

Related readings:  Public welfare, gov't thrift stressed locally in economic growth  Thrift lessons from Shaanxi  Freeze on public sector spending for 2009, as govt targets thrift society

Banquets and gifting using public funds would also be strictly prohibited.

And till the end of 2010, no new office buildings will be allowed to be constructed, the circular said.

The circular has urged all government departments to improve supervision of thrifty practices. Those who violate the rules would be severely punished, it said.

Although the exact expenditure figure was unavailable, media reports said that in 2007, about 200 billion yuan ($30 billion) of public funds were spent on these items.