Shanghai hands out cash incentives to residents

Effective rural governance is an important part of rural vitalization, according to a guideline issued in 2019, and to achieve that end Shanghai's Fengxian district has adopted a "points-based rating system" that has resulted in more than a billion yuan in cash rewards being handed out.

To fully leverage the economic, ecological and aesthetic values of its rural areas, Fengxian's rating system offers shopping vouchers to encourage villagers to make their homes more beautiful.

In Fengxian's Xinye village, 86-year-old Yang Yaqin recently bought a box of eggs, a bag of flour and a bottle of soy sauce from the community supermarket. She paid 60 yuan ($8.40) of the bill using three 20-yuan shopping vouchers that were rating system rewards, and only had to pay 0.5 yuan in cash.

Yuan earned the vouchers by keeping her yard clean for three months. She praised the system, saying it not only improved the village's appearance but also provided benefits to villagers.

Gu Lifeng, the village's Party secretary, told Xinmin Evening News that in order to create a beautiful and harmonious rural living environment, the village had adopted the points-based rating system to guide villagers in self-management. The score reflecting the condition of each household's home is displayed publicly, and each household that passes a monthly assessment receives a sticker that entitles it to a 20-yuan shopping voucher.

"For example, in the case of Yang, as long as she refrains from growing vegetables in the green belt in front of her residence and keeps her courtyard clean, she can receive rewards," Gu said.

In recent years, Fengxian has fully implemented the points-based rating system with the aim of tackling illegal land use, construction, commercial operations and discharge of pollutants, as well as clearing illegal group rental accommodations and garbage and enhancing rivers, greenery and rural customs.

Under the system, which has seen 1.05 billion yuan in cash rewards distributed so far, village and community groups are categorized into different star levels based on their performance and adherence to standards. The allocation of rewards to each household depends on the star level achieved.