Recently, the Guangdong Provincial Department of Natural Resources and the Guangdong Provincial Department of Finance jointly released a financial incentive and subsidy plan for comprehensive land rehabilitation, aimed at strengthening the financial support mechanism and encouraging localities to advance comprehensive land rehabilitation efforts.
Can you explain how this new plan was developed and what its overarching goals are?
The plan adopts a combined approach of “pre-guidance plus performance assessment and incentives.” This year, the Guangdong Provincial Finance has allocated 255 million yuan to support 42 pilot areas engaging in comprehensive land rehabilitation—this includes three county-level and 39 town-level pilot projects.
Looking ahead, what kind of financial support can we expect for the upcoming years?
Between 2024 and 2026, an additional 438 million yuan is earmarked for performance-based incentives for regions that achieve significant results in comprehensive land rehabilitation throughout the province. The proposal outlines an allocation of 84 million yuan in 2024, followed by 177 million yuan each in 2025 and 2026.
How will success be measured, and what criteria will be used for funding distribution?
The plan emphasizes a clear focus on the objectives and outcomes of comprehensive land rehabilitation. It commits to annual evaluations of rehabilitation projects by April 30 each year, with subsidy amounts distributed based on those evaluations.
Can you detail how the funds will be allocated among different performing regions?
The subsidy is structured in three tiers: 10 million yuan, 6 million yuan, and 3 million yuan, awarded based on the performance ranking of projects from the previous year and subsequent years. Notably, the total award per county, city, or district is capped at 30 million yuan.
What restrictions are placed on the use of these funds?
The plan specifies that the funds should primarily support approved projects related to land rehabilitation, including agricultural land sorting, construction land sorting, and rural ecological restoration. They cannot be used for expenses unrelated to comprehensive land rehabilitation. Additionally, recipient regions are expected to establish accountability mechanisms, enhance policy performance management, and promote effective practices.
