Supervision safeguards transparency of poverty alleviation funds in Kashgar

Sitting on the edge of the Taklimakan Desert, the largest desert in China and the second-largest shifting sand desert in the world, Kashgar Prefecture in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has long been plagued by erratic weather and poverty. According to its government work report, last year more than 90 percent of Xinjiang’s 33.4 billion yuan (US$4.9 billion) poverty relief fund went to the four prefectures lying on the borders of the Taklimakan.

In 2018, 170 impoverished households in Sagan Wusitang village, Bachu County of Kashgar, were each granted a 5,000-yuan subsidy (US$700) to develop their courtyard economy. Alageer Township, which administers Sagan Wusitang, allocated the subsidies to the village committee for distribution in two batches.

However, when Kurban Amuti, an inspector from the county’s supervisory commission and the township’s Party disciplinary inspection commission, visited Abdullah Elkann, one of the beneficiaries, on a discipline review and supervisory investigation, Kurban felt that Abdullah was visibly unhappy.

When asked whether he had received all the subsidies, Abdullah hesitated to answer. This reaction aroused Kurban’s suspicion. After patient persuasion, Abdullah finally put aside his worries and told Kurban that Ai, the village Party secretary, had withheld 400 yuan (US$60) from his subsidy.

After door-to-door investigation, Kurban found that Ai had withheld 400 yuan from each of the 78 households in the second group to receive the fund, and had misappropriated the 31,200 yuan (U.S. $4600) to repay the wages of the workers involved in the village’s another project.

The Bachu supervisory commission and Party disciplinary inspection office punished Ai’s misconduct in accordance with due legal process. Kurban announced the result at the villagers’ assembly. All the 78 villagers had their misused subsidies refunded.

“I thought I’d never get that money back …” Abdullah expressed his gratitude to Kurban on his revisit.

In December 2018, 12 cities and counties in Kashgar established 180 supervision offices in its townships and communities. Inspectors like Kurban started to fight corruption and help with full oversight of the exercise of public power at grassroots level.

This was the first case Kurban handled as an inspector. “I feel very proud of helping villagers solve their problems,” he said. “It’s my greatest honor to win their trust.”