(Fighting new crown pneumonia) China's finances at all levels have arranged 121.8 billion yuan for epidemic prevention and control funds
China News Agency, Beijing, March 24 (Reporter Zhao Jianhua) The Ministry of Finance of the People's Republic of China announced on the 24th that, as of March 21, all levels of finance had allocated 121.8 billion yuan (RMB, the same below) for epidemic prevention and control. Among them, the central financial arrangement of 25.75 billion yuan has basically achieved the goal of not delaying medical treatment and affecting epidemic prevention and control due to funding problems.
The Ministry of Finance will also intensively launch a package of targeted tax and fee reduction policies with the State Administration of Taxation and other departments to support epidemic prevention and control, promote the resumption of production and the smooth operation of the economy and society. These preferential policies on taxes and fees mainly include strengthening the supply of key materials, helping industries affected by the epidemic, encouraging donations from all walks of life, exempting individual income tax on income from epidemic prevention subsidies, increasing assistance for individual industrial and commercial enterprises, and small and micro enterprises, Stabilizing foreign trade and foreign investment.
The "two sessions" of the country have been postponed this year. According to relevant regulations, the central government has reasonably arranged the implementation of the central budget, safeguarding funds for epidemic prevention and control, accelerating the transfer of budgets for transfer payments, and giving full play to the counter-cyclical adjustment of fiscal policies.
On the basis of the 6.1 trillion yuan of transfer payment budget for 2020 in the fourth quarter of 2019, as of March 21, funds have been pre-allocated to local governments in areas such as health care, promotion of resumption of production and production, central infrastructure investment, and financial assistance. 207.1 billion yuan, which provides a strong guarantee for the stable operation of local finances and the construction of major projects. At the same time, the issuance and use of local government bonds will be accelerated.
While timely transferring transfer payment funds, strengthen the fund allocation of treasury funds. In accordance with the financial treasury situation in various places, especially in areas affected by the epidemic, such as Hubei, strengthen fund scheduling to ensure that funds such as epidemic prevention and control and "three guarantees" are fully and timely allocated. The central finance will continue to urge and guide local governments to speed up the allocation and use of funds, ensure adequate funding for epidemic prevention and control, and improve the "three guarantees" capability of grass-roots finances to firmly hold the "three guarantees" bottom line.
According to the Ministry of Finance, in general, the current fiscal operation is in a reasonable range, key expenditures are well protected, and the effects of active fiscal policies are gradually showing. This year's fiscal policy's positive orientation has not changed, and we must be more proactive and focus on coordinating efforts from the two aspects of "quality" and "quantity" to implement precise policies. In the next step, it will work with relevant departments to refine and refine the budget allocation plan so that after the NPC approves the budget, it can allocate funds in a timely manner and give full play to the role of fiscal funds as soon as possible. (Finish)