Local govt brags of poverty

CHANGSHA - The spokesman from the country's top poverty reduction authority on Tuesday blamed the "foolish behavior" of a county government in Central China's Hunan province for posting cheerful remarks about being named a State-level poverty-stricken area.

A picture posted online shows a huge screen with LED lights reading "Warm congratulations to Xinshao county for being successfully included in the country's poverty-stricken areas, which will become the main battlefield for the country's poverty alleviation work".

The remarks, which have circulated online and sparked heated debate, ended with "an announcement by the Xinshao county Party committee and Xinshao government".