Promotion of social governance in Deqing County, Zhejiang Province aided by integrated use of statistical and geographic data

While promoting economic development and ecological soundness, Deqing County is dedicated to build a social governance system featuring equality, inclusiveness and harmony. Towards that end, a host of measures are taken. <br />
First, promoting urban-rural integration by providing equal access to social services. Acting on China’s rural revitalization strategy, local authorities have increased rural residents’ income and reduced the urban-rural income ratio to 1.71 by vigorously growing a tourist industry with an international horizon. By giving equal residential status to the rural population and urban dwellers, the county has ensured equal access to basic public services like health care, housing, education, public transport, waste classification, sewage disposal, and utility supply at equal charges. Besides, local authorities have also ensured equal access to high-quality educational resources by providing training courses and promoting teachers’ rotation between urban and rural areas. <br />
Second, reducing gender inequality by empowering women. By introducing a counseling and evaluation mechanism on gender equality and a local legal admonition system against domestic violence, public awareness of women’s rights has been substantially raised. The percentage of female in local government and parliament has been increased to more than one third. Moreover, maternal and children care services have been improved to ensure reproductive health. The percentage of government health-care expenditure for maternal and children care has been increased to 4.62 percent in 2016 to cover the whole pregnancy period, provide cervical and breast cancer tests, and prevent and control the spread of venereal diseases and HIV/AIDS. <br />
Third, setting up a robust anti-corruption system and creating new forms of rural governance. Corruption supervision and ombudsmanship has been effectively carried out. As a result, incidence of corruption cases has been reduced; government efficiency and transparency has been increased; and fiscal situation has been healthy. A grassroots consultative board for public affairs has been set up in rural areas to address village disputes and increase transparency and accountability of rural policy, supplementing the existing efforts to promote rural governance.