Ministry of Finance: No difficulty in paying wages
If the local area is greatly affected by the epidemic situation and it is difficult to maintain the "three guarantees" by its own financial resources, the central government will provide necessary support
Yesterday, at the scene of the press conference of the joint prevention and control mechanism of the State Council, relevant persons in charge of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs introduced the agricultural production in the spring during the epidemic. Beijing News reporter Wu Ning
According to the Ministry of Finance, as of March 4th, all levels of finance have arranged 110.48 billion yuan of funds for epidemic prevention and control, and 71.43 billion yuan have been used. They are mainly used for patient treatment, medical staff work subsidies, and procurement of hospital epidemic prevention and control materials. Storage and other aspects.
Aiming at the hot issue of fasting wildlife, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has specified that most of the farmed turtles including Chinese sturgeon and turtles, as well as bullfrogs and frogs of the frog species, can be farmed and eaten.
Beijing News News The State Council ’s joint prevention and control mechanism held a press conference on March 5 to introduce the relevant situation of effectively responding to the impact of the new crown pneumonia epidemic and strengthening the “three guarantees” (guaranteeing basic livelihood, guaranteeing wages, and guaranteeing operation) in local finance. Xu Hongcai, deputy minister of the Ministry of Finance, said that as of March 4, a total of 110.48 billion yuan in epidemic prevention and control funds had been arranged by the fiscal authorities at all levels. 71.43 billion yuan had been used and 39.05 billion yuan had not been used.
February Hubei local public budget revenue was only sporadic
According to Xu Hongcai, from the statistical data, the local public budget revenue of Hubei Province kept increasing in January, and only sporadic income was deposited in February. Hubei Province's treasury funds were relatively good at the end of February because other expenditures were basically unchanged except for epidemic prevention and control and basic expenditures. Expenditure, the balance of treasury funds was 130.6 billion yuan, which could meet normal needs.
Xu Hongcai introduced that it is judged that Hubei ’s national treasury revenue will remain sporadic after entering March, but with resumption of production and resumption of work, financial expenditures will increase accordingly. Therefore, in March, a treasury weekly dispatching system was established in Hubei Province to ensure Hubei Treasury funding needs.
Budget arrangements can meet the needs of the "three guarantees"
Xu Hongcai introduced that, in general, the outbreak prevention and control and grass-roots "three guarantees" expenditures do not account for a large proportion of total local fiscal expenditures. The budget arrangement can meet the needs of the "three guarantees" and there will be no major problems in the local "three guarantees". So far, there have been no difficulties in paying wages.
Affected by the epidemic, in addition to Hubei, other regions with severe epidemics also experienced a period of reduced income. In order to prevent problems, the Ministry of Finance put forward some requirements on localities from various aspects, and did a good job in safeguarding. With the resumption of work and production, the gradual recovery of the economy, and sustained and healthy development, fiscal revenue will continue to increase.
Xu Hongcai said that the local "three guarantees" are jointly worked out by governments at all levels, mainly following the principle of county-level and provincial-level pockets, and the central government also actively supports it. We have established a basic guarantee mechanism for county-level financial resources. In addition, we have also given tilts and arrangements through balanced transfer payments. In some places, where the epidemic is severely affected and it is difficult to maintain the "three guarantees" on their own financial resources, the central government must also provide necessary support.
[Response]
How to speed up the transfer payment?
6.28 trillion has been issued, will urge the local government
Hao Lei, deputy director of the budget department of the Ministry of Finance, said that the central government will lower the estimated amount of local transfer payments for the next year to the local financial department before the end of October. In the fourth quarter of 2019, the central government has issued a 6.1 trillion yuan transfer payment budget in 2020, and local financial departments have also incorporated it into the local budget.
Since the beginning of this year, taking into account the needs for epidemic prevention and control, the central government has accelerated the transfer of budgets for transfer payments, and pre-allocated 183.9 billion yuan in funds for medical treatment, employment stabilization, investment stabilization, and financial assistance. As of now, the central government's transfer payments to local governments have reached 6.28 trillion yuan, an increase of 1.26 trillion yuan over the same period last year.
Hao Lei said that after the National People's Congress approved the 2020 central budget, the remaining part of the transfer payment budget will be released in a timely manner. At the same time, the local government will be urged to dismantle the allocations as soon as possible to ensure the basic "three guarantees" expenditure needs.
How to use 110 billion epidemic prevention funds?
Mainly used for patient treatment, medical staff work subsidies, etc.
Xu Hongcai introduced that as of March 4th, the finances at all levels have arranged 110.48 billion yuan in epidemic prevention and control funds, and 71.43 billion yuan have been used. They are mainly used for patient treatment, medical staff work subsidies, and procurement of hospital epidemic prevention and control materials and collection of materials. In terms of saving, etc., there are still some assistance for families in difficulty.
Xu Hongcai said that the first amount of money allocated to Hubei Province was called comprehensive financial assistance. It did not specify specific uses, and the local government reasonably arranged expenditures according to the epidemic prevention and control needs, mainly for epidemic prevention and control. "There are standardized systems, rules, and regulations for the use of financial funds. It should be said that the funds arranged can be used where they are needed."
In addition, the total amount of funds currently allocated is 110.48 billion yuan, and 39.05 billion yuan will continue to be used. The central treasury will perform liquidation with the local government.
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Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs: Fully promote the restoration of double-crop rice area
There was no waiting for people during farming. Yesterday was a shock. The country's spring ploughing preparations entered a critical season. The State Council ’s joint prevention and control mechanism held a press conference on March 5 to introduce the agricultural production during the epidemic. The reporter learned from the meeting that, with the decline in the area of double-crop rice cultivation, China will make every effort to restore the area of double-crop rice this year.
Appropriately increase the minimum purchase prices for early and late rice
Pan Wenbo, director of the Department of Plantation Management of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, said that the situation facing spring ploughing this year is very special, and the new crown pneumonia epidemic has brought some new problems. The timely completion of spring planting tasks on time and quality is of vital importance to the annual grain production.
According to Pan Wenbo, in recent years, due to rising agricultural resources prices, rising labor costs, increased land transfer costs, and low rice market prices, farmers' planting income has declined. In some areas, double-crop rice has been reduced and one-crop rice has been replaced. The double-crop rice area in 2019 is about 140 million mu, which is 35 million mu less than in 2012.
Pan Wenbo said that double-crop rice is an important ration variety and the area cannot continue to decline. The key to double cropping is early rice. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs will make every effort to promote the restoration of early rice production this year. The minimum purchase prices for early indica and mid-late indica rice were appropriately raised after three consecutive downward adjustments in previous years.
Desert locusts have a small chance of invading our country
Recently, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations issued a global warning of Desert Locust, and there are also risks of invasion in Tibet, Yunnan, and other places in China. According to Pan Wenbo, expert analysis believes that the probability of desert locusts migrating into China is very small.
The Kunlun Mountains and the Himalayas in the southwestern border of China have natural barriers that make it difficult for desert locusts to move in over high-altitude mountains. The ecological environment and climate in cold regions are not suitable for the survival of desert locusts.
Experts believe that even if desert locusts move into our country, we have the ability to respond. China plans to organize emergency drills in Yunnan in April.
Comprehensive monitoring and early warning of Spodoptera litura pests
Pan Wenbo said that Spodoptera frugiperda has invaded our country, and the area of seeing insects is about 16 million acres. The damage area is controlled in Yunnan, Guangxi and other local areas.
Expert analysis believes that this year's grassland Spodoptera frugiperda has a large source base, and the time to move north earlier is expected to be a "reoccurrence" situation.
According to Pan Wenbo, China has deployed monitoring outlets in border areas, the source areas in southwestern South China, the Jianghuai transition zone, and the northern defense zone to provide all-round monitoring and early warning.
■ Focus
Chinese sturgeon turtle bullfrog can be farmed and eaten
The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress has recently passed a decision to clearly and comprehensively ban wild animals and severely crack down on illegal wildlife trade. So, can Chinese sturgeon, turtle and bullfrog eat?
In response, the official website of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs issued a notice to further strengthen the protection and management of aquatic wildlife, suggesting that Chinese sturgeon, turtles and other amphibians and reptiles included in the aquatic animal related list will be managed in accordance with aquatic animals.
According to Zhang Xianliang, director of the Fisheries and Fisheries Administration of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, from the perspective of management, aquatic wildlife is divided into two categories: one is precious and endangered aquatic wildlife, which is managed in accordance with the relevant requirements of the Wildlife Protection Law; the other is Other aquatic wild animals shall be managed in accordance with relevant laws and regulations such as the Fisheries Law. The "Wildlife Protection Law", relevant decisions of the National People's Congress, and relevant interpretations are clear. Aquatic wildlife such as fish are not included in the fasting scope.
Are amphibians and reptiles between terrestrial and aquatic, such as turtles and frogs, managed as aquatic or terrestrial? After the decision was made, in order to further define the management of amphibians and reptiles, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Areas negotiated with the State Forestry and Grass Bureau, and the amphibious reptiles were clearly managed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Areas in accordance with aquatic animals. Most of the farmed turtles, including Chinese sturgeon and turtle, and the two introduced species of bullfrog and American frog in frogs can be farmed and eaten.
Beijing News reporter Ni Wei Xu Wen