As of the end of June, Ruzhou's local fiscal revenue reached 1.18 billion yuan ($192.7 million), 140 million yuan greater than the same period last year and an increase of 13.4 percent. Of this figure, the local public financial income reached 869.4 million yuan, 55.2 percent of the annual budget and a year-on-year increase of 1.72 billion yuan. That represents a growth of 24.6 percent over the same period last year.

In the first half of the year, the Ruzhou tax department implemented a series of reforms to protect and improve people's livelihood. It strengthened revenue collection and financial supervision, optimized the structure of expenditures, and further promoted financial reform. The city places the livelihood of the people first. Its financial work seeks to ensure the well-being of the people and improve lives. It has spent its limited financial resources on livelihood projects.

This year, the city has strengthened agricultural insurance and subsidies work. It signed 14 wheat insurance policies with premiums totaling $691,000 and covering 2.56 million hectares. It has also established food subsidy and comprehensive direct subsidy funds worth 855.2 million yuan, which have benefited 203,000 farmers. To strengthen the management of reservoir immigrant funds for follow-up support and to improve production and living conditions, Ruzhou city disbursed 2.4 million yuan cumulatively. The city invested 18.91 million yuan in modern agriculture (livestock) to support the development of livestock.

In addition, to guarantee the operations of voluntary education, Ruzhou city allocated spring compulsory public funds totaling 32.52 million yuan, compensated 3.99 million yuan and avoided textbooks fund. It granted funding for essential public health services. It also granted other funds to carry out major public health projects, support the reform of basic drug systems, promote the development of village medical and health institutions, and improve medical conditions. It also granted various kinds of funds to protect the basic livelihoods of people in financial difficulties.

As of the end of June, local public finance budget expenditures totaled 1.47 billion yuan in Ruzhou city. Important expenditures reached 1.24 billion yuan, accounting for 84.7 percent of local public finance budget expenditures. Among them, livelihood expenditures amounted to 11.2 million yuan, accounting for 76.9 percent of local public finance budget expenditures, an increase of 26.6 percent. The city has ensured that limited financial resources are used for livelihood projects.

Edited by Michael Thai