Central gov't calls on local officials to ensure people have happy New Year

China's central government has released a circular calling on local officials to ensure all Chinese people have a happy New Year and Spring Festival.

The circular, jointly issued by the general offices of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, ordered local officials to visit retired Red Army men, retired soldiers, injured army personnel and the relatives of revolutionary martyrs. The sizeable list does not end there. "Model workers", poor old people living alone and the unemployed are also entitled to official visits.

The circular also told local government officials to supervise the distribution of migrant workers' salaries before the Spring Festival, which falls on February 18 this year. They are also required to tackle the issue of unemployment among university graduates, a problem that has worsened dramatically in the last couple of years.

Local officials will also have to step up health and safety measures, provide safe transportation and lay on cultural activities to "enrich people's lives", the circular said.

The circular ordered all Party and government officials to avoid lavishing public funds on festival banquets or extravagant recreational activities and not to accept gifts or money from people seeking favors.

Source: Xinhua