SHANGHAI, Nov. 13 – Following Guangdong Province’s move to make its government expense budget downloadable on its website, Shanghai is also releasing details of its expense budget to the public for the first time.

The expense budget will include collection, distribution and application of special funds, administrative and institutional unit revenues, as well as welfare and sports lottery revenues; now be available for public scrutiny.

The decision is considered a positive step towards more government transparency. In October 9, Li Detao, a volunteer public budget observer, had asked Shanghai’s financial bureau for government expense budgets but was rejected reports Caijing.