The State Audit Office reported on its website Thursday than
nearly 600 people have been penalized for their involvement in
irregularities this office uncovered during its 2003 audit.
Some 368 of those punished were with the Industrial and
Commercial Bank. Fifty-two were fired and the cases of at least
four have been transferred to legal authorities for possible
further action.
The provinces along the Huaihe River in central China imposed
punishments on 202 people involved in misappropriating relief money
for flood victims. Investigations show that nine of the 14
flood-stricken counties in the Huaihe River Valley stole 136
million yuan (US$16 million) from the disaster relief fund.
The Ministry of Water Resources transferred 21 people who
allegedly cheated on the Yangtze embankment projects to judicial
departments for further investigation.
Education authorities in Huazhou and Zhanjiang cities in
Guangdong Province took action against more than 10 people who
embezzled education funds. The former director of the Huazhou
Municipal Education Bureau was fired, as was the former director of
the Wujiang education bureau in Zhanjiang. Two people thought to be
directly responsible are under criminal investigation.
The State Power Co. vowed to improve management after the
auditors said poor management decisions caused huge losses for the
firm.
Auditor-General Li Jinhua reported in June that 55 ministries
and commissions under the State Council had misused 1.4 billion
yuan (US$170 million) in the 2003 budget.
(Shenzhen Daily September 24, 2004)