Row brews over govt kindergarten subsidy

GUANGZHOU: The 60 million yuan ($8.8 million) in public money handed out in subsidies to nine kindergartens here was well spent, the finance bureau of Guangzhou insisted yesterday.

The bureau stood by its decision to subsidize the kindergartens - which were used by civil servants and their families - after criticism and accusations of malpractice.

The row blew up after the finance bureau decided to make public the budgets of 114 city government agencies on its website last week. The publication of the information was a national first. However, some people are now questioning the wisdom of some of the spending it reveals.