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More supervision on gov't spending needed
By Liu Li (China Daily)
Updated: 2006-03-09 06:11
Government expenditure should receive more transparent supervision from the
public, top political advisers appealed yesterday.
"Pandora's box will be opened if governments at all levels lack enough
supervision on their expenditure," said Chen Shouyi, a member of the 10th
National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference
(CPPCC) .
A district government in the city of Linfen, in North China's Shanxi
Province, spent 70 million yuan (US$8.6 million) on a replica of Tian'anmen
Rostrum in Beijing, a symbol of China.
Offices of many local governments are built in accordance with five-star
hotel standards. "The State Council seems to be far inferior compared with local
government buildings," Chen said.
He attributed the malpractices to the lack of restrictive measures over
government expenditure from State revenues, which are collected mainly through
taxation.
While being lavish on their own spending, some governments are tight fisted
in education, social security, scientific research and rural investment,
according to Chen Changzhi, vice-chairman of the Central Committee of the China
Democratic National Construction Association and vice-minister of supervision.
Twenty-three per cent of all expenditure was spent by governments in
administrative management.
However, only 10 per cent of governments' expenditure was spent on supporting
economic and social undertakings for rural residents, who account for some 63
per cent of the total population on the mainland.
Lack of education, social security and scientific research investment has
resulted in backward social development compared with the economic advance.
"Financial expenditure of governments has to be rectified," Chen Changzhi
appealed.
Representing the Central Committee of the China Democratic National
Construction Association, he advised a deepening of the country's State revenue
system reforms.
"Administrative expenditure should decrease, as well as investment in
infrastructure facility construction," he said.
Investment in rural development and the public sector, such as education,
science and technology, culture and health should be enhanced.
According to Chen Changzhi, the social security sector should also receive
more government investment. "Government expenditure should accept inquiries from
taxpayers," he said.
Taxpayers could report to the people's congresses the lawmaking bodies on the
holes they find in governments' spending of their tax donations, according to
Chen Changzhi.
Chen Shouyi suggested including all extra-budget revenues and government
expenditure in budgets.
According to Chinese law, the budget has to receive approval from the
people's congresses.
In reality, extra-budgetary revenues and government expenditure are totally
controlled by the governments themselves without any supervision from the
people's congresses and the public.
"We must ascertain responsibilities of those officials who misuse their
powers by spending taxpayers' donations however they like," Chen Shouyi said.
Governments should not only make public their extra-budgetary revenues and
expenditures, but also explain to taxpayers when they decide to make big
investments.
"We, the tax payers, have a total right to know how our money is being used
and whether it is reasonable," he said.
(China Daily 03/09/2006 page2)
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