Counties may be incorrectly labeled as poverty stricken

Datong county’s return to the ranks of poverty county after 16 years, shows that related authorities haven’t followed the criteria and standard by which poverty counties should be judged, says an article on China Youth Daily. Excerpts:

In 1996, Datong county in Shanxi province was judged to be a comparatively well-off county. But Datong’s financial income in that year was only 37.4 million yuan ($600 million), while expenditure was as high as 65.9 million yuan. Datong local authority couldn’t make ends meet at that time and didn’t achieve the 16 principles that determine a comparatively well-off county.

It’s was simply the hopes and endeavors of local authorities’ that led to Datong being judged to be a comparatively well-off county.

In January this year, Datong was labeled a national poverty county — again thanks to the efforts of local officials.

It makes the public doubt whether counties labeled as being comparatively well-off or poverty stricken, or the metropolises labeled as clean or livable cities, really deserve their name.

If a county is really poor and needs help it should be regarded as a poverty county once local authorities report the real situation. But according to Wang Hanbin, chief of Datong poverty alleviation and development office, it’s difficult to get the document that will classify Datong as a national poverty county. There are many human factors that influence if a county is poor. A widespread joke goes: A head of a county said his area isn’t regarded as a poverty county because they are too poor.

The label of comparatively well-off or poverty can be unduly influenced by the individuals in the counties who want a certain label because it could benefit them. Liang Shubin, former headmaster of Datong county party school, said it’s difficult for them to get funds or financial aid if they have the label comparatively well-off county.

Datong’s case exposes how authorities do not strictly implement policy determining the areas rankings according to criteria and standards.