Welfare houses belie promise

A property construction site in Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu province. [Dong Jinlin/For China Daily]

It is shameful that a large number of government-subsidized houses have been left unused in Guiyang, capital of Southwest China's Guizhou province, where many low-income residents cannot afford an apartment at market prices.

Due to the lack of power and water supplies and other basic facilities, the 30,000 low-priced homes built with a government investment of 8.54 billion yuan ($1.34 billion) are visible but inaccessible to those who need them.

When asked for an interview by China Central Television reporters following the problem's exposure by the National Audit Office, Liu Zhu, director of Guiyang's housing authority, denied his official title and rejected the interview demand.

Amid the intense public outcry that followed, Liu has been fired by the local government, and promises have been made that the needed facilities will be provided.

However, these should by no means be the only response to such unforgivable "inertia of governance", which is obviously not the fault of Liu alone. Any other departments and officials that have caused the waste of taxpayers' money and compromised the welfare of those who need such assistance should also be held accountable.

The housing problem is closely related to people's livelihoods. Doing a good job in providing affordable homes for those on low incomes is a duty the government should shoulder and helps the government build an image of working for the people. At a time when market prices have put houses beyond the reach of many ordinary people, it remains particularly important and necessary that governments offer subsidized homes for the needy.

It is a target the central government has taken unremitting efforts to pursue and also urged local governments to do. However, the Guiyang case is a reminder that not all local governments put people's welfare first as they promise.