City-level government departments will refrain from buying new cars this year in order to save money for reconstruction work in earthquake-devastated Sichuan Province, Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng said today, Xinmin Evening News reported.

The operating budgets of city-level departments will be cut 10 percent while district level watchdogs will have budgets cut by 5 percent, Han said at this morning.

Shanghai has donated a total of 1.995 billion yuan (US$29 million) as of today and auditing authorities will be responsible to make sure the money goes to those who need it, Han said.

The mayor also made 10 points to guide the city's role in relief work as the death toll approached 63,000 yesterday.

- Shanghai should make full efforts to ensure the production, transportation and storage of relief materials for disaster areas

- Green channels will be set up to offer fast transportation of relief materials so that they can be shipped at any time

- Shanghai will allocate 300 million yuan from the city's fiscal budget to help build 80,000 homes for homeless quake survivors

-City health authorities are required to do their best to treat injured quake victims sent to Shanghai over the next two weeks.

-City government authorities will cut the annual budget by 10 percent and halt new car purchases while district departments will reduce budgets by 5 percent.

-Supervision work over quake donations will be strengthened to ensure transparency.

-Ensure quake victims have a nice stay in the city.

-Preferential policies will be offered to ease concerns of Sichuan migrant workers and students in the city.

-Have the media report the latest events in Sichuan.

-To improve coordination of relief work.

(Shanghai Daily May 26, 2008)