The Shanghai Municipal Government recently launched a set of detailed rules to better regulate administrative efforts, said government sources in this east China's metropolis Sunday.

The new rules, the first of the kind in Shanghai, stress the popularization of scientific and democratic decision-making processes and improvement of government efficiency, according to a spokesperson for the Shanghai Municipal Government, Jiang Lan.

The rules demand that local government canvasses responses to government decisions and objectively evaluate the decisions.

According to the rules, the municipal government must take into serious consideration views and opinions of experts and scholars while making major decisions and should invite professional agencies in the related areas to conduct evaluation and legal analysis.

Local government should consult with the Shanghai Municipal People's Congress and Shanghai People's Political Consultative Conference concerning decisions closely relevant to public interest. Local government should also organize special hearings to seek public opinion on important decisions.

The rules also clearly demand local government operates in the most efficient and economical way and try their utmost to avoid unnecessary bureaucracy.

Local government is also required to inform the public of local economic and social situations, major government decisions and issues related to the interests of local citizens through government spokespeople, websites and the media.

(Xinhua News Agency September 29, 2003)