China said on Wednesday that it will ditch 76 pointless official – and sometimes obscure – awards as it seeks to rein in waste and extravagance, part of President Xi Jinping’s crusade against pervasive corruption.
Government departments will, for example, no longer be able to award prizes for “excellent vocational education teaching materials” or “administration in accordance with the law” for tax collectors, according to the new rules.
“Not only has this not had the desired effect, it has been a huge waste of personnel and resources and has even caused unhealthy tendencies, causing a strong reaction in society.”
A similar campaign in 2009 had resulted in annual savings of 6.4 billion yuan (HK$8.11 billion), the government said.
“The cancelling of these 76 awards is just the first step, and the project will continue and deepen,” it added.