China's State Council has approved new regulations regarding the establishment and size of local governments. The regulations aim at tackling overstaffing problems at the local and municipal government levels.

Comprising 30 articles in six chapters, the regulations require local governments at all levels to set up minimal, unified and efficient departments with a reasonable staff number.

The regulations state that the establishment of departments should be based on comprehensive, defined responsibilities and job descriptions. The regulations also call for an increased level of coordination between departments in carrying out policies and decisions.

The operation of local bureaucracy is to be overhauled and the regulations outline that departments with similar or identical duties should be unified by negotiation, with the final decisions in debates made by local governments.

Also, the regulations limit the authorized size of local governments to within local financial resources, banning the establishment of additional departments or the recruitment of additional staff.

Legal responsibilities and penalties for overstaffing are clarified in the regulations, said an official with the Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council.
To enforce these regulations, measures will be taken to improve management and supervision. Penalties for officials who set up, unite, cancel or rename government departments without authorization have also been outlined.

The regulations also call for increased efforts to publicize the new rules among officials and government employees.The regulations will be effective from May 1.