Related News
Heritage status bid costs poor county 450m yuan
By Zhang Xuanchen |
September 28, 2010, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
AUTHORITIES in central China are facing questions over why they spent 450 million yuan (US$67 million) to get a county included on the UNESCO World Heritage list while its residents are still struggling in poverty.
Villagers in Xinning County, Hunan Province, were overjoyed in August to receive global recognition for Lang Mountain. But elation turned to concern when it emerged that achieving this status had cost so much - including bank loans of almost 155 million yuan, as the county's annual revenue was barely 200 million yuan until 2008.
The county has long relied on government loans and subsidiaries to cover more than 80 percent of its expenditure, reported China Youth Daily.
In 2006, it applied to join the World Heritage list as one of the six areas of China's Danxia Landform, a rugged landscape characterized by steep red cliffs, caves and erosional landforms.
The government tried to finance the bid through public funds, private donations, bank loans and government subsidiaries.
Bank loans were approved after the government mortgaged some of its land, the newspaper said.
After the bid was successful, more money was spent on infrastructure and entertaining members of the media.
Zhou Jianxin, head of tourism management in Xinning, told reporters that upgrading infrastructure took up nearly 95 percent of the money. He gave the example of a road, which cost 100 million yuan, connecting the scenic spot with other remote villages.
Many officials believe the outlay will provide an economic return for the region in the long term.
Villagers in Xinning County, Hunan Province, were overjoyed in August to receive global recognition for Lang Mountain. But elation turned to concern when it emerged that achieving this status had cost so much - including bank loans of almost 155 million yuan, as the county's annual revenue was barely 200 million yuan until 2008.
The county has long relied on government loans and subsidiaries to cover more than 80 percent of its expenditure, reported China Youth Daily.
In 2006, it applied to join the World Heritage list as one of the six areas of China's Danxia Landform, a rugged landscape characterized by steep red cliffs, caves and erosional landforms.
The government tried to finance the bid through public funds, private donations, bank loans and government subsidiaries.
Bank loans were approved after the government mortgaged some of its land, the newspaper said.
After the bid was successful, more money was spent on infrastructure and entertaining members of the media.
Zhou Jianxin, head of tourism management in Xinning, told reporters that upgrading infrastructure took up nearly 95 percent of the money. He gave the example of a road, which cost 100 million yuan, connecting the scenic spot with other remote villages.
Many officials believe the outlay will provide an economic return for the region in the long term.
- 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.
