Ministry responds to use of quake donations

(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2009-08-13 13:27

It is a "realistic system matter" that Wenchuan quake donations ultimately go to the government from the public, Wang Zhenyao, director of the Social Welfare and Charities Division of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, told the Beijing News Wedensday.

Wang's remarks came in response to a recent research that showed 80 percent of the Sichuan Wenchuan quake donations may have become part of the government's "extra revenues", which has been or will be allocated to the quake-hit areas by the government.

"The public are usually not willing to donate through NGOs, for some NGOs in China don't have much credibility," Wang said. "That's why the donations finally go to government".

However, it usually requires a relatively longer time for the government to allocate the donated money because of "system matters", which include budget plan making, Wang explained.

"There are advantages for the money going to the government, like all the uses of the donated money will be audited; therefore, there will be no misappropriating of the money," he added

As of April 30 this year, the public had donated a total of 76 billion yuan, including 65 billion yuan ($9.5 billion) in cash donations and 11 billion yuan ($1.5 billion) in material matching donations to quake-stricken areas. The amount is reportedly "a new record in the donation history of China", according to China Youth Daily.