The State Council, in a circular issued on Feb 18, approved an updated version of the National Basic Public Service Standards submitted by the National Development and Reform Commission.

According to the circular, the 2021 version of standards should center on high-quality development and pin down the range and standards for current public services, the last line of social security.

To satisfy people's ever-growing needs for a better life, the updated standards should focus on the most direct and practical issues concerning people's interests.

Authorities in all industries should demarcate their ranges of basic public services, further specify standard requirements in facility construction, function layouts, construction specifications, among others.

And all regions, based on actual situations, should formulate specific standards for basic regional public services, which should be implemented within the national unified standards.

For service items without corresponding national standards, regional authorities should refer to related national requirements with actual situations taken into account.

As for expenditures on basic public services, departments concerned and regions across the board should fulfill their responsibilities. And service items suitable for government procurement should be encouraged to be incorporated into its procurement directories.

In addition, NDRC, along with departments concerned, should beef up supervision and monitoring on the implementation of the updated standards and conduct timely and coordinated inspections and evaluations.