China ups spending related to quality of life

BEIJING -- China's central budget for 2013 features notable spending increases in areas closely related to quality of life, including education, healthcare, social security and public housing.

Government spending on medical and health care increased by 27.1 percent year on year to 260.25 billion yuan ($41.31 billion), according to the central budget report submitted to the first session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC), China's national legislature, on Tuesday.

This year's spending increases were the second highest since 2008.

Several measures in the government work report, which is also tabled for discussion, explained the increase.

According to the report, the government plans to raise the annual government subsidies for the new rural cooperative medical care system and basic medical insurance for non-working urban residents from 240 yuan to 280 yuan per person, respectively.

The per capita payment standard for basic public health services will be increased from 25 yuan to 30 yuan.

The central budget for education increased by 9.3 percent to 413.25 billion yuan, and a total of 54.05 billion yuan will be spent in culture, sports and media, up 9.3 percent over last year.

Social security and employment will receive 655.08 billion yuan, an increase of 13.9 percent.

A total of 223 billion yuan will go to providing adequate housing, 5.3 percent more than the budgeted figure for last year but 14.3 percent less than actual spending last year.

In the government work report, Premier Wen Jiabao said the government will improve the expenditure utilization structure.

The government will give priority to education, medical and health care, social security and other areas of weakness that are important to people's well-being, while controlling regular expenditures like administrative expenses, Wen said.

Budgeted government investment will mainly go to government-subsidized housing projects, infrastructure projects related to agriculture, water conservation and urban utilities networks, social programs and other projects to improve people's well-being, as well as energy conservation, emissions reduction and environmental protection.

Budget increases toward public welfare sectors will not only benefit the livelihood of common people but also attract more non-government capital in these fields, said Li Chaogang, an NPC deputy and Party chief of Fengtai district in southwest Beijing.

Over the past five years, an annual survey conducted by Xinhua's website ahead of the NPC sessions showed that respondents were most concerned about the income gap, housing prices, employment, education and medical services.

"Government spending should play a role of ensuring social justice. It should ensure that all people enjoy the fruits of the country's economic development," said Mei Yonghong, an NPC deputy and mayor of Jining city in east China's Shandong province.

To examine the central and local budgets, lawmakers assembled the financial and economic committee of the 12th NPC when the session opened on Tuesday.

Members of the other special committees of the NPC will be determined prior to the end of the session.