A Chinese political advisor has suggested auditing the huge
amount of agricultural budget for the year, in an effort to prevent
misuse of the government fund and safeguard farmers' interests.
"Maybe an auditing program could be launched on the fund this
year to ensure that it goes to the farmers instead of corrupt
officials," said Xu Kuangdi, vice-chairman of the National
Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference
(CPPCC),
the top advisory body, at a panel discussion held on the sidelines
of the ongoing CPPCC annual session.
China plans to earmark 339.7 billion yuan (about US$43 billion)
for agriculture, rural areas and farmers in 2006, 42.2 billion yuan
more than last year, said Premier Wen
Jiabao while presenting his annual work report at the opening
meeting of the current session of the 10th National People's
Congress? (NPC),
China's legislature, on Sunday.
Xu expressed his deep concern at the panel discussion attended
by members of the Communist Party of China that farmers and
agricultural projects may not get the due amount of the budget as
corruption still exists in China's vast rural areas.
Xu did not say when and how the auditing program should be
carried out, as the agricultural budget is still under examination
of NPC deputies for final approval.
The Chinese leadership is determined to build a socialist new
countryside and accelerate the rural development to reduce the
yawning gap between rural and urban areas, which is fully explained
and advocated in the draft blueprint of China's economic and social
development for 2006-2010 pending approval of lawmakers.
(Xinhua News Agency March 9, 2006)