Beijing municipal legislators get more money for making rounds

BEIJING, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Beijing Municipal People's Congress, the Chinese capital's legislature, announced recently that legislators will be better funded for their outreach activities. This included funds for visiting constituencies and soliciting complaints from voters.

The Beijing News reported on Tuesday that from next year every municipal legislator could get 5,000 yuan (667 U.S. dollars) worth of allowances that they were expected to use while performing their duties. The sum has steadily risen from 4,000 yuan this year, and no more than 2,400 yuan in 2006.

The allowances would be paid to nearly 800 incumbent legislators who were elected by the more than 15 million permanent Beijing residents. The money was to cover their transport expense in site visits and other work-related expenses.

Every legislator would also be granted at most 20 days of paid when they leave from their job for investigation and information gathering, according to law.

The overwhelming majority of elected legislators throughout the country act as lawmakers and continue in their existing jobs at the same time.

The Beijing legislators were also entitled to review important proposals made by the municipal government before they were finally decided. Government officials would be asked to hearings at the legislature on a regular basis.