City govt says housing project free of corruption

The government in Xiangcheng, Henan province, refuted a news report alleging corruption in the distribution of affordable houses.

The report, carried by the Global Times website, said that the bureau's website publicized qualified applicants for affordable houses on June 16, among which 42 were children and adolescents not qualified for the application.

Zhang Lingzhong, head of the Xiangcheng bureau of housing and urban-rural development, told China Daily that all of the children and adolescents were family members of adult applicants.

Zhang said the local government ruled out 360 families who owned cars or real estate, and stricter measures will taken to guarantee that the houses are sold to poor families.

The report also blamed the local government for giving approval to many civil servants to buy the affordable houses, leading to questions that the houses have become a welfare benefit for government officials.

Cui Shiling, head of the publicity department of the Xiangcheng government, said that the income level of many civil servants was below 2,000 yuan ($315) per month, and they should not be deprived of qualifying for an application.