'Banquet ban' gives locals food for thought

Members of the Tangyue village committee prepare food for local resi-dents.[QIAO QIMING/FOR CHINA DAILY]

New regulation

To crack down on the practice, a regulation was drafted in February last year, and an inspection team was established, consisting of members of government departments, including the public security and civil affairs bureaus. Every village or village-level community passed their own regulations, based on the ban but tailored to local circumstances. Now, every government department, village or community committee, and public organization includes an official who oversees banqueting activities.

The regulation stipulates that banquets can only be held on the occasion of a wedding or funeral. Moreover, people are now required to give the village or community committee five days notice that they intend to host a feast. Cash gifts are still allowed, but the maximum amount is set at 100 yuan, and there must be fewer than 30 tables, each of which must offer dishes that cost less than 120 yuan each.

If public servants violate the regulation, their case will be transferred to the local commission for discipline inspection, but non-official transgressors face a punishment based on the regulations set by the local village or community committees.

In some villages, special teams have been established to cook and serve banquets, so the villagers won't be tempted to take leave from work to assist with the preparations. In Tangyue, the team comprises more than 30 members of the village cooperative, according to Zuo Wenxue, the Party secretary of the village. Residents only have to provide the raw ingredients, and the village committee will cover the rest of the cost.

The move has paid off. Last year, in Puding alone, there were 7,000 fewer banquets than in 2015, which saved 300 million yuan, according to local authorities.

"Our efforts have produced good results. We are now discussing paying villagers' funeral expenses as well. That will mean local residents will be under less economic pressure so they will remain focused on their work, which will greatly benefit the local economy," Zuo said.

Dong Xianwu contributed to the story