Government officials called to task in public airing of district concerns
By Hu Min |
January 28, 2012, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THE recent annual session of the Minhang People's Congress and its advisory committee featured a new twist: Senior government administrators were summoned before legislators in a public airing of budget matters and public concerns such as health, security and transport.
After Cai Xiaoqing, one of the district's deputy governors, gave a briefing on Minhang's economic restructuring and development plans, deputies unleashed a barrage of questions.
"The government earmarked 220 million yuan (US$33 million) for a sinking fund this year, so how big is your debt and how will the money be used?" asked Gu Hongping.
Minhang Governor Mo Fuchun replied that part of the fund would go toward a budget stabilization fund related to land sales and part it would be used to address about 800 million yuan of debt owed by Minsheng Co, which handles construction such as schools, theaters and hospitals.
"The district will try a variety of means to raise funds and control debt," Mo said. "We think the current level of debt is within our financial means."
Fang Zhen asked how the government plans to ensure an increase in revenue.
"Land auctions accounted for about 20 percent of district revenue in 2011, and if national government measures to deflate the property bubble continue, how will that affect income?" he asked.
Ji Peikun, chief of Minhang's Finance Bureau, said Minhang is well prepared for the situation.
"The decrease of land auction revenue will affect district income," he acknowledged, "but our goal of a 7 percent increase in that revenue is in line with the reality of the situation, and we can tap the budget stabilization fund if unforeseen difficulties emerge."
Qiao Yiling, another lawmaker, expressed concern about the district's free bicycle-rental program.
Government officials replied that the Minhang will spend 25.8 million yuan this year to buy more bicycles and improve maintenance and management of the fleet.
Sun Peilong, director of the district construction and transport committee, said about 60,000 of the 230,000 bicycle cards already issued are rarely if ever used. Those cards will be reclaimed and distributed to people who really need them, he said.
Deputies who sit on the district's advisory Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference had a raft of proposals to discuss.
Deputies Zhang Hongtao and Li Xiang suggested that the government add more such as dining sites near university campuses after they said they found it hard to find a place to eat in the vicinity of the Minhang campus of East China Normal University.
Deputy Cai Xiulan called on the government to get more doctors into residential communities to tend to the needs of senior citizens, while deputy Wang Zhengxiong suggested more first-aid stations be established.
Wang Bing, another deputy, called on the government to beef up its crackdown on speculative use of industrial land, saying the district should introduce third-party appraisers for projects and zoning.
Deputy Liu Ping suggested extending metro routes to the Zizhu Science Park because the nearest metro stops are four to five kilometers away and the park employs 20,000.
Gao Lei, an overseas Chinese who returned to work for a neighborhood committee in Minhang, said he would like to see more people-oriented management in local communities.
"When I moved to Germany, I felt lonely and lost, but I was helped by a university community volunteer who found me a decent apartment and roommates to share the cost," Gao said. "It made me feel at home."
In 2011, the Minhang Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference received 1,101 written proposals. Of those, 781 suggestions have been implemented, and another 190 are on tap for action.
After Cai Xiaoqing, one of the district's deputy governors, gave a briefing on Minhang's economic restructuring and development plans, deputies unleashed a barrage of questions.
"The government earmarked 220 million yuan (US$33 million) for a sinking fund this year, so how big is your debt and how will the money be used?" asked Gu Hongping.
Minhang Governor Mo Fuchun replied that part of the fund would go toward a budget stabilization fund related to land sales and part it would be used to address about 800 million yuan of debt owed by Minsheng Co, which handles construction such as schools, theaters and hospitals.
"The district will try a variety of means to raise funds and control debt," Mo said. "We think the current level of debt is within our financial means."
Fang Zhen asked how the government plans to ensure an increase in revenue.
"Land auctions accounted for about 20 percent of district revenue in 2011, and if national government measures to deflate the property bubble continue, how will that affect income?" he asked.
Ji Peikun, chief of Minhang's Finance Bureau, said Minhang is well prepared for the situation.
"The decrease of land auction revenue will affect district income," he acknowledged, "but our goal of a 7 percent increase in that revenue is in line with the reality of the situation, and we can tap the budget stabilization fund if unforeseen difficulties emerge."
Qiao Yiling, another lawmaker, expressed concern about the district's free bicycle-rental program.
Government officials replied that the Minhang will spend 25.8 million yuan this year to buy more bicycles and improve maintenance and management of the fleet.
Sun Peilong, director of the district construction and transport committee, said about 60,000 of the 230,000 bicycle cards already issued are rarely if ever used. Those cards will be reclaimed and distributed to people who really need them, he said.
Deputies who sit on the district's advisory Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference had a raft of proposals to discuss.
Deputies Zhang Hongtao and Li Xiang suggested that the government add more such as dining sites near university campuses after they said they found it hard to find a place to eat in the vicinity of the Minhang campus of East China Normal University.
Deputy Cai Xiulan called on the government to get more doctors into residential communities to tend to the needs of senior citizens, while deputy Wang Zhengxiong suggested more first-aid stations be established.
Wang Bing, another deputy, called on the government to beef up its crackdown on speculative use of industrial land, saying the district should introduce third-party appraisers for projects and zoning.
Deputy Liu Ping suggested extending metro routes to the Zizhu Science Park because the nearest metro stops are four to five kilometers away and the park employs 20,000.
Gao Lei, an overseas Chinese who returned to work for a neighborhood committee in Minhang, said he would like to see more people-oriented management in local communities.
"When I moved to Germany, I felt lonely and lost, but I was helped by a university community volunteer who found me a decent apartment and roommates to share the cost," Gao said. "It made me feel at home."
In 2011, the Minhang Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference received 1,101 written proposals. Of those, 781 suggestions have been implemented, and another 190 are on tap for action.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
