Sustained Burden Reduction at the Grassroots Requires Sounding Four Long-Term Mechanisms

The grassroots are the foundation of the Party’s governance and the source of its strength. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out, “We must continue to reduce the burden on grassroots units, so that grassroots cadres can use more time and energy to serve the masses.” This year’s *Government Work Report* further proposes to “strictly implement the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulations of the Central Committee, solidly carry out education on Party discipline, vigorously rectify formalism and bureaucratism, and effectively reduce the burden on grassroots units.” [1]1 The "Several Provisions" refers to the "Several Provisions on Reducing Burdens at the Grassroots Level" issued by the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. The National Conference of Secretaries-General of Party Committees and Governments, held on April 24, proposed to solidly carry out education on thoroughly implementing the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulations of the Central Committee, take the lead in implementing the Eight-Point Regulations and their detailed implementation rules, and continuously rectify formalism to reduce the burden on grassroots units. [2]2 "Townships (streets) whistle, departments report" is a grassroots governance mechanism where township or street-level Party committees identify problems and "whistle" for higher-level or specialized departments to "report" and address them. Only by firmly grasping the important focal point proposed by the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Party — “sound the long-term mechanism for reducing the burden on grassroots units” — and applying precise measures with sustained effort, can we ensure that the implementation of the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulations of the Central Committee deepens and solidifies, truly liberate the grassroots from the shackles of formalism and bureaucratism, stimulate the enthusiasm for undertaking work and starting enterprises, and provide a strong organizational guarantee and work-style guarantee for building a strong country and achieving national rejuvenation.

基层是党的执政之基、力量之源。习近平总书记指出，“要持续为基层减负，让基层干部能够用更多时间和精力来服务群众”。今年的《政府工作报告》进一步提出，要“严格落实中央八项规定精神，扎实开展党纪学习教育，大力整治形式主义、官僚主义，切实为基层减负”。4月24日召开的全国党委和政府秘书长会议提出，要扎实开展深入贯彻中央八项规定精神学习教育，带头落实中央八项规定及其实施细则精神，持续整治形式主义为基层减负。只有牢牢把握党的二十届三中全会提出的“健全为基层减负长效机制”这一重要着力点，精准施策，久久为功，才能确保贯彻落实中央八项规定精神走深走实，切实把基层从形式主义、官僚主义的束缚中解脱出来，激发干事创业的积极性，为强国建设、民族复兴提供坚强组织保证和作风保证。

1. Sound the List Management Mechanism, Delineate “Hard Constraints” for Responsibilities and Powers

1.健全清单管理机制，划定职责权限“硬杠杠”

Unclear boundaries of grassroots responsibilities, inconsistency between powers and responsibilities, and mismatch between responsibilities and capabilities can lead to the phenomenon of “a small horse pulling a big cart.” [3]3 This is a quotation from a speech by Xi Jinping. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized, “We must resolutely rectify formalism and bureaucratism, and free grassroots cadres from red tape, mountains of documents and seas of meetings, and social engagements.” To sustain burden reduction at the grassroots, it is necessary to sound the list management mechanism, promoting the institutionalization and standardization of grassroots burden reduction.

基层职责边界不清、权责不一致、责能不匹配，会导致出现“小马拉大车”现象。习近平总书记强调，“要坚决整治形式主义、官僚主义，让基层干部从繁文缛节、文山会海、迎来送往中解脱出来”。持续为基层减负，要通过健全清单管理机制，推动基层减负制度化、规范化。

Establish and sound a list of grassroots powers and responsibilities. Excessive inspections, assessments, receptions, nameplates, apportioned tasks, certifications, reports, and ledgers, as well as “mountains of documents and seas of meetings,” “trace-ism,” and “formalism at the fingertips,” have overwhelmed grassroots cadres. [4]4 This is a quotation from a speech by Xi Jinping. During an inspection in Chongqing, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, “To reduce the burden on grassroots units, responsibilities and powers must be clarified; not everything can be pressed onto the grassroots. What work the grassroots should undertake must be made clear regarding their duties and matters.” Based on actual conditions, a grassroots management system with clear boundaries, reasonable division of labor, consistent powers and responsibilities, and efficient operation should be established, clarifying “what work the grassroots should do, what matters they can handle, and what responsibilities they should bear”; resources, funds, management authority, and staffing should be sunk to the grassroots, ensuring that the grassroots have people to do the work, funds to handle matters, and the capacity to bear responsibilities; “territorial management” should be scientifically standardized, and any responsibilities that must be borne by townships (subdistricts) or villages (communities) must undergo strict prior approval. [5]5 The Eight-Point Regulations: A set of rules adopted by the CPC Central Committee in 2012 to improve Party conduct and reduce bureaucracy, formalism, and extravagance among officials.

建立健全基层权责清单。检查多、考核多、接待多、挂牌多、摊派多、证明多、报表台账多，以及“文山会海”“痕迹主义”“指尖上的形式主义”等，让基层干部不堪重负。习近平总书记在重庆考察时指出，“为基层减负要明确权责，不能什么事都压给基层，基层该承担哪些工作，要把职责事项搞清楚”。要立足实际，构建边界清晰、分工合理、权责一致、运行高效的基层管理体制，明确基层“该干什么活、能办什么事、应担什么责”；推动资源资金、管理权限、编制人员等向基层下沉，实现基层有人干事、有钱办事、有能力担事；科学规范“属地管理”，确需乡镇（街道）、村（社）承担的职责，必须通过严格的事前审批。

Establish and sound a list of responsibilities and powers for higher-level authorities. The problem of excessive burdens on grassroots units manifests at the grassroots level but has its roots at the higher levels. To reduce the burden on grassroots units, higher-level leading organs and leading cadres should lead by example and set a precedent from above. General Secretary Xi Jinping has demanded, “Start

建立健全上级权责清单。基层负担过重的问题，表现在基层，根子在上头。为基层减负，上级领导机关、领导干部应以身作则，以上率下。习近平总书记要求，“从领导机关特别是从中央和国家机关改起，为基层干部松绑减负”。中共中央办公厅、国务院办公厅印发的《整治形式主义为基层减负若干规定》（以下简称《若干规定》）共7个部分，21条具体规定，对统筹为基层减负和赋能作出制度性安排。要理顺上下级之间、部门之间权责界限，划定“权力单”和“责任田”，规范省、市、县（区）上级机关及各部门职责职权，做到清单之内有职责，清单之外无权力。

Establish and improve a negative list for access. A list of powers and responsibilities cannot exhaust all powers and responsibilities; a negative list serves as a safety net to prevent arbitrary use of power. It is necessary to establish and improve a mechanism for prior review and approval of the downward transfer of powers and responsibilities from higher levels, using a negative list to make explicit prohibitive provisions on matters that must not be shifted layer by layer to the grassroots, thereby compressing the space for ambiguous powers and responsibilities, drawing clear and hard boundaries, preventing the successive shifting of responsibilities downward to the grassroots, and building a "firewall" against grassroots burdens. For example, the "Several Provisions" [1]1 The "Several Provisions" refers to the "Several Provisions on Reducing Burdens at the Grassroots Level" issued by the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. clearly stipulate that "assessments should be simplified, and 'thousand-point systems' should not be implemented" and "standards-reaching campaigns should not be conducted at the grassroots level," among other things.

建立健全准入负面清单。权责清单不能穷尽所有权责，通过负面清单兜底，可以防止权力任性。要建立健全上级权责下沉事前审批准入机制，通过负面清单对不得层层转移给基层的事项作出明确的禁止性规定，压缩权责模糊空间，划出清晰明确的硬杠杠，防止层层向基层转嫁责任，筑牢基层负担“防火墙”。如：《若干规定》明确规定，“考核应当化繁为简，不搞‘千分制’”“在基层不搞达标活动”等。

2. Improve the mechanism for coordinated linkage, promoting the "integration" of grassroots governance

2.健全联动协同机制，推进基层治理“一体化”

At present, the tasks and environment of grassroots governance have undergone significant changes, leading to issues such as asymmetry in the superior-subordinate relationship within the administrative management system and incoordination between vertical and horizontal structures. To this end, it is necessary to strengthen Party building-led grassroots governance, adhere to vertical linkage and departmental coordination, and improve the mechanism for coordinated linkage.

当前，基层治理的任务和环境发生了显著变化，导致行政管理体制上下级关系不对称、条块结构不协调等问题不时出现。为此，要抓好党建引领基层治理工作，坚持上下联动、部门协同，健全联动协同机制。

Adhere to Party building leadership. Establish provincial, municipal, and county (district) coordination mechanisms for Party building-led grassroots governance, promote departmental coordination and policy integration, and build a "community" of vertical linkage and horizontal interaction for Party building-led grassroots governance; leverage the leading role of township (street) Party committees (working committees), improve the mechanism of "townships (streets) whistle, departments report," [2]2 "Townships (streets) whistle, departments report" is a grassroots governance mechanism where township or street-level Party committees identify problems and "whistle" for higher-level or specialized departments to "report" and address them. grant township (street) Party committees (working committees) powers such as comprehensive law enforcement dispatch, overall coordination of comprehensive matters, and assessment supervision, to enhance the effectiveness of grassroots governance; advance the reform of integrating approval, service, and law enforcement powers at the grassroots level, achieving "one list clarifies powers and responsibilities, one seal manages approvals, one team manages law enforcement, one body coordinates governance," and promoting the transformation of townships (streets) from "administrative nerve endings at the grassroots" to "hubs of grassroots governance."

坚持党建引领。建立省、市、县（区）党建引领基层治理协调机制，推动部门协同、政策集成，构建党建引领基层治理的上下联动、横向互动“共同体”；发挥乡镇（街道）党（工）委引领作用，健全完善“乡镇（街道）吹哨、部门报到”机制，赋予乡镇（街道）党（工）委综合执法调度、综合事项统筹协调和考核督办等权限，提升基层治理效能；推进基层整合审批服务执法力量改革，实现“一张清单明权责、一颗印章管审批、一支队伍管执法、一体协同强治理”，推动乡镇（街道）从“基层行政末梢”向“基层治理枢纽”转变。

Adhere to vertical linkage. General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out, "The essence of formalism is subjectivism and utilitarianism, and its root lies in a misplaced outlook on political performance and a lack of a sense of responsibility." [3]3 This is a quotation from a speech by Xi Jinping. To reduce burdens at the grassroots level, the first task is to solve the "master switch" of thought, persistently using Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to consolidate the soul and strengthen the mind, deeply study and thoroughly understand the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulations of the Central Committee, and firmly establish and practice a correct outlook on political performance; leading organs and cadres at higher levels should play a demonstrative and leading role, with one level setting an example for the next; adhere to the concept of full-cycle management, grasp each link of the "chain," ensure that each level from top to bottom takes responsibility and implements tasks, and promote vertical coherence, concerted efforts, synchronized linkage, and joint resolution of problems.

坚持上下联动。习近平总书记深刻指出，“形式主义实质是主观主义、功利主义，根源是政绩观错位、责任心缺失”。为基层减负，首先要解决好思想这个“总开关”问题，坚持不懈用习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想凝心铸魂，学深悟透中央八项规定精神，牢固树立和践行正确政绩观；上级领导机关、领导干部要发挥示范带动作用，一级做给一级看；坚持全周期管理理念，抓好“链条”各环节，自上而下层层负责、层层抓落实，推动上下贯通、齐心协力、同频联动、问题联治。

Adhere to departmental coordination. Improve the mechanism for departmental coordination to solve problems in grassroots governance. First, build substantive and standardized grassroots grid-based governance centers as the lead agencies for cross-departmental coordinated linkage work, responsible for grid information collection and filing, task distribution and assignment, command coordination and supervision, feedback on processing results, and supervision, inspection, and assessment; second, improve the norms for cross-departmental coordinated linkage, including responsibilities and powers, work procedures, deliberation methods, assessment and evaluation, and incentive and accountability mechanisms, such as stipulating joint inspections, joint assessments, and mutual recognition of results; third, establish and improve mechanisms for communication and coordination, information sharing, resource sharing, and collaborative culture cultivation for cross-departmental coordinated linkage, truly achieving resource integration, strength convergence, and functional aggregation in grassroots governance.

坚持部门协同。健全部门协同机制，破解基层治理难题，一是建设实体化、规范化的基层网格化治理中心，作为跨部门协同联动工作的牵头机构，负责网格信息汇集建档、任务分流交办、指挥协调督促、办理结果反馈、监督检查考核等工作；二是健全跨部门协同联动的职责职权、工作程序、议事方式、考核评价、激励问责等规范，如规定联合检查、联合考核、结果互认等；三是建立健全跨部门协同联动的沟通协调、信息互通、资源共享以及协同文化培育等机制，真正实现基层治理资源整合、力量融合、功能聚合。

3. Improve the mechanism for technological empowerment, igniting the "booster" for burden reduction and efficiency enhancement

3.健全科技赋能机制，点燃减负增效“助推器”

General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, "We must do a good job of this foundational work of modernizing grassroots governance." [4]4 This is a quotation from a speech by Xi Jinping. Emerging technologies such as big data, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and blockchain offer broad prospects for promoting the modernization of the grassroots governance system and governance capacity. Improving the mechanism for technological empowerment to boost burden reduction and efficiency enhancement at the grassroots level should focus on making efforts in building "one form for all uses," "one network for unified management," and a "smart governance platform."

习近平总书记强调，“必须抓好基层治理现代化这项基础性工作”。大数据、云计算、人工智能、区块链等新兴技术，为推动基层治理体系和治理能力现代化带来了广阔前景。健全科技赋能机制，助推基层减负增效，重点要在打造“一表通用”“一网统管”“智治平台”上下功夫。

Use "one form for all uses" to boost "digital burden reduction" at the grassroots level. Leverage the advantages of digital technology, integrate data information across regions, levels, and departments, merge similar items, avoid duplicate items, and eliminate redundant items, build a "one-form-for-all" platform system featuring "one-point collection, one-time entry, dynamic updates, and multi-party reuse," and by setting functions such as "comprehensive collection" of data, "one-click generation" of reports, "active reminders" for services, and "access review" for reports, open up the "main artery" of data sharing, achieve "multiple forms in one, one form for all uses," and reduce the "fingertip" burden on grassroots staff.

以“一表通用”助推基层“数字减负”。发挥数字技术优势，整合跨区域、跨层级、跨部门的数据信息，合并同类项、规避重复项、剔除冗余项，建设“一端采集、一次录入、动态更新、多方复用”的“一表通”平台系统，通过设置数据“综合采集”、报表“一键生成”、服务“主动提醒”、报表“准入审核”等功能，打通数据共享“大动脉”，实现“多表合一、一表通用”，减轻基层工作人员“指尖上”的负担。

Use "one network for unified management" to boost the efficiency of grassroots governance. Strengthen the construction of a digital government, accelerate the construction of a provincial-level big data hub and a "one-network-for-all-services" platform, establish a four-level linkage system of province, city, county (district), and township (street), integrate resources and forces from comprehensive governance, public security, justice, urban management, emergency management, civil affairs, letters and visits, and ecological environment, build a "holistic government," promote "Internet + services," achieve unified management, unified service, unified coordination, and unified command on one screen, truly incorporate "thousands of threads" into "one network," and effectively let data run more and grassroots cadres run less.

以“一网统管”助推基层治理增效。加强数字政府建设，加快推进省级大数据总枢纽和“一网通办”平台建设，建立省、市、县（区）、乡镇（街道）四级联动体系，整合综治、公安、司法、城管、应急、民政、信访、生态环境等资源力量，打造“整体性政府”，推进“互联网+服务”，实现一网统管、一网通办、一网协同、一屏指挥，真正将“千条线”纳入“一张网”，切实让数据多跑路、基层干部少跑腿。

Using “smart governance platforms” to boost the quality of grassroots governance. Smart governance is an important choice for innovating grassroots governance models. It is necessary to base this on platforms for unified forms and unified network management, focus on “intelligent aggregation, intelligent assessment, and intelligent decision support,” integrate existing information systems such as the smart Party-building platform, smart city platform, comprehensive governance center, 12345 platform, and grid management, establish a smart governance platform that “connects upward to provinces and cities, links horizontally to districts and counties, and reaches downward to villages and communities” and achieves “data sharing, process reengineering, and business coordination” across departments, and build a grassroots governance method that covers all corners, integrates thoroughly, and is precise and efficient, continuously improving the intelligence and refinement of grassroots governance. At the same time, vigilance is needed against the fragmentation and generalization of digital government construction, to avoid technological empowerment turning into technological “disempowerment.”

以“智治平台”助推基层治理提质。智慧治理是基层治理模式创新的重要选择。要以一表通用、一网统管相关平台为基础，着眼“智能汇聚、智慧研判、智辅决策”，整合智慧党建平台、智慧城市平台、综治中心、12345平台、网格管理等现有信息系统，建立“上联省市、中通区县、下达村社”和跨部门“数据共享、流程再造、业务协同”的智慧治理平台，构建盖边沉底、贯通融合、精准高效的基层治理方式，不断提高基层治理智能化、精细化水平。同时，要警惕数字政府建设分散化、泛化，避免科技赋能变成科技“负能”。

4. Sound the assessment and incentive mechanism, raising the “weather vane” of solid work and real results

4.健全考核激励机制，高扬实干实绩“风向标”

Implementing the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulations [5]5 The Eight-Point Regulations: A set of rules adopted by the CPC Central Committee in 2012 to improve Party conduct and reduce bureaucracy, formalism, and extravagance among officials. and promoting burden reduction at the grassroots level requires fully leveraging the commanding and weather vane role of assessment and incentives, sounding mechanisms for assessment and evaluation, supervision and inspection, and incentives and constraints. This involves both strengthening assessment and incentives for grassroots burden reduction, achieving true burden reduction and reducing true burdens, and strengthening assessment and incentives for grassroots work, promoting grassroots efforts to be pragmatic and innovative, ensuring that burden reduction does not reduce responsibility, standards, or accountability, and guiding the vast number of Party members and cadres to truly take benefiting the people as the greatest political achievement, working earnestly, achieving practical results, and seeking real effects.

落实中央八项规定精神，推进基层减负，要充分发挥考核激励的指挥棒、风向标作用，健全考核评价、监督检查、激励约束等机制，既加强为基层减负的考核激励，做到真减负、减真负，又加强基层工作的考核激励，推进基层惟实励新，确保减负不减担当、不减责任、不减标准，引导广大党员干部切实把为民造福作为最大政绩，真抓实干，务实功、出实招、求实效。

Sound the assessment and evaluation mechanism. Clearly establish the orientation of “valuing solid work, real results, and responsibility,” adhere to the principle of “assessing less, assessing precisely, assessing accurately, and assessing practically,” and enhance the scientific, targeted, and effective nature of assessment and evaluation; streamline assessment methods, change “multiple separate assessments” into “integrated multi-assessment,” and construct an assessment model of “issuing one notice, dispatching one team, conducting one assessment”; optimize the assessment and evaluation system, simplify complexity, scientifically set assessment indicators, promote a shift from assessing “materials” and checking “traces” to assessing effectiveness and looking at “latent achievements,” take grassroots cadre evaluations and public satisfaction as important criteria for assessment, implement differentiated assessments, and explore the introduction of third-party evaluation mechanisms, etc.

健全考核评价机制。鲜明树立“重实干、重实绩、重担当”的导向，坚持“考少、考精、考准、考实”原则，增强考核评价的科学性、针对性、实效性；精简考核方式，改“多头考核”为“多考合一”，构建“下发一次通知、派出一支队伍、开展一次考核”的考核模式；优化考核评价体系，化繁为简，科学设置考核指标，推动考“材料”、查“痕迹”向考成效、看“潜绩”转变，将基层干部评价、群众满意度作为考评的重要标准，实施差异化考核，探索引入第三方评估机制等。

Sound the supervision and inspection mechanism. Improve the methods and approaches of supervision and inspection, strictly control the total number, correct practices such as making a big show, listening to reports layer by layer, and demanding ledgers for everything, shift from emphasizing process to emphasizing results, use the “four no’s and two straight” [6]6 “Four no’s and two straight”: A supervision method requiring no advance notice, no prepared itinerary, no listening to reports, no welcoming or seeing-off, going straight to the grassroots, and straight to the scene. supervision method, and focus on solving the problem of overly frequent and excessive supervision and inspection; gather strong supervisory synergy, leverage the supervisory roles of people’s congresses, political consultative conferences, discipline inspection commissions, supervision commissions, and auditing at all levels, incorporate “grassroots burden reduction” into the focus of inspection tours, smooth channels for public complaints and reports, and pay attention to media supervision and online supervision, etc.; equip supervision with technological “wings,” create smart supervision platforms such as “one-click supervision” and “code-based inspection tours,” make good use of “Internet + supervision,” systematically analyze the logic and patterns of responsibility fulfillment behind the data, strike at formalism and bureaucratism as soon as they appear, and resolutely prevent backlashes and hidden mutations.

健全监督检查机制。改进督查检查方式方法，严格控制总量，纠正排场声势大、层层听汇报、事事要台账等做法，从重过程向重结果转变，用好“四不两直”督查方式，着力解决督查检查过频过繁问题；汇聚强大监督合力，发挥各级人大、政协、纪委、监委、审计等监督作用，将“基层减负”纳入巡视巡察工作重点，畅通群众信访举报渠道，重视媒体监督、网络监督等；为监督插上科技“翅膀”，打造“监督一点通”“码上巡”等智慧监督平台，用好“互联网+督查”，系统分析数据背后的履责逻辑规律，对形式主义、官僚主义露头就打，坚决防反弹回潮、防隐形变异。

Sound the incentive and constraint mechanism. Strengthen the application of assessment results, vigorously select cadres who are politically reliable, dare to take responsibility, are keen on reform, have outstanding achievements, and are honest and upright, support and encourage those who take on real responsibilities, and ensure that “capable” cadres have “positions”; improve the accountability system, impose corresponding Party discipline and administrative sanctions according to the severity of the case on those who “do nothing, act arbitrarily, act slowly, or act falsely,” are “mediocre, lazy, ineffective, and inefficient,” or “respond passively, pass the buck, and shirk responsibility”; establish a mechanism for publicizing and exposing negative typical cases of grassroots burden reduction, insist on exposing and punishing each case as soon as it is discovered, forming a deterrent effect of handling one case, shocking a whole area, and warning the entire Party; adhere to the combination of strict management and care, with equal emphasis on incentives and constraints, implement the “three distinctions” [7]7 “Three distinctions”: A policy framework that distinguishes between mistakes made in exploration and experimentation, violations of discipline and law, and inaction or misconduct, to encourage innovation while maintaining accountability., deepen the mechanism for tolerating and correcting mistakes, and create a good atmosphere that encourages cadres to forge ahead, take responsibility, and act effectively.

健全激励约束机制。强化考评结果运用，大力选拔政治过硬、敢于担当、锐意改革、实绩突出、清正廉洁的干部，为实干担当者撑腰鼓劲，让“有为”干部“有位”；完善问责制度，对“不作为、乱作为、慢作为、假作为”“庸懒无为、效率低下”“消极应付、推诿扯皮”者，视情节轻重给予相应党纪、政纪处分；建立为基层减负反面典型案例通报曝光机制，坚持发现一例就曝光一例、查处一例，形成处理一例、震慑一片、警示全党的震慑效应；坚持严管和厚爱结合、激励和约束并重，落实“三个区分开来”，深化容错纠错机制，营造激励干部开拓进取、担当作为的良好氛围。

(Author: Su Yongxiang, is a specially appointed researcher of the Hunan Provincial Research Center for the Theoretical System of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the Organs of Hunan Normal University)

（作者：粟用湘，系湖南省中国特色社会主义理论体系研究中心特约研究员、湖南师范大学机关党委副书记）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心