New rules for handling petitions
Print Edition
CHINESE authorities have issued a regulation that defines the responsibilities of the Party and state organs in handling petitions.
They should put people’s petitions on their agenda and keep updated accordingly, the regulation says. They should also ensure sufficient funding and personnel for dealing with petition letters and visits, and work to prevent and reduce conflicts that result in petitions.
The regulation, released by the general offices of the Party’s Central Committee and the State Council, applies to institutions that include Party organs, administrative bodies, legislative and judicial agencies and political advisory bodies.
Leading officials should take responsibility for the handling of petitions that fall within their scope, it says, and they should read and reply to mailed or online petition letters, receive visits from petitioners on a regular basis and help address the issues that emerge.
Staff should handle petitions in an impartial, clean and thoughtful manner, and be attentive to confidentiality, it says.
The regulation also highlights supervision over the handling of petitions, stating that agencies at all levels should conduct at least one relevant annual inspection accordingly.
Punishment for officials who fail to handle petitions properly is stressed in the regulation, which says that officials should be held accountable if improper decision-making or neglect of duty cause major petition incidents or damage people’s interests.
Senior supervisors should also be called to account and undertake joint liability if their subordinates harm people’s interests.
Penalties will vary from public criticism to demotion or removal from office, as determined by the damage caused by mishandling of the petitions, the regulation says.
Guidelines on the implementation of the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020) for economic and social development were also issued.
They urge appropriate handling of the relationship between the government and the market, mobilizing the enthusiasm of both central and local governments, coordinating priorities with overall development and strengthening the leading and restrictive role of the plan during the period.
Relevant departments should be clear about their targets and tasks, leaders’ responsibilities should be stressed, coordination strengthened and the role of social organizations highlighted, they say.
The guidelines also require accelerated implementation of major projects and launching of major reform policies.
The 25 key indicators of the plan should be included in the national economic planner’s annual plan index system, and sub-plans and regional plans should be issued and implemented before the end of the year.
A planning system should be established in order to promote the appropriate development and efficient use of land.
To this end, good public opinion, a dynamic market environment and the rule of law should be guaranteed, the guidelines say. Dynamic monitoring, annual and middle-term evaluations as well as flexible adjustment mechanisms should be introduced.
Supervision by the National People’s Congress and the public, among others, will be enhanced, the guidelines state.
- 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.
