May 20 (Xinhua) — According to the WeChat public account of the Ministry of Water Resources, the Ministry of Water Resources recently issued the "Water Budget Management Pilot Program" (hereinafter referred to as the "Pilot Program") to explore and carry out water budget management pilots nationwide.

　　The "Pilot Program", centering on improving the dual-control management system for total water use and intensity, proposes innovative explorations in multiple aspects. In terms of management scope, budget management objects are determined at three levels: regions, industries, and water-using units. In terms of budget base, the budget benchmark amount is scientifically set by comprehensively considering factors such as the upper limit of dual-control indicators, adjustment for wet and dry water resources, and allocation and use of unconventional water. In terms of budget allocation, it proposes clarifying the priority order of water allocation, implementing negative list management, and reserving a certain amount of water indicators, so as to promote the optimal allocation and efficient use of water resource factors. In terms of budget execution, it clarifies the basic procedures of closed-loop management and proposes regulatory measures such as controlling progress and amounts that exceed the budget and conducting water use audits. In terms of market mechanisms, it proposes to free up water use space through means such as eliminating the inferior and upgrading the superior and equal-amount or reduced-amount substitution, and to implement market-based trading of saved water, thereby achieving water budget balance. In terms of safeguard measures, it proposes strengthening the application of digital and information-based means and advancing the construction of the water budget management system.

　　Water budget management is an important institutional innovation in the field of water management. Next, the Ministry of Water Resources will select pilot areas according to procedures, organize provincial, municipal, county, and river basin pilots by level and category, strengthen policy coordination, enhance guidance and follow-up evaluation of pilot work, promptly summarize experience and practices, improve systems and policies, and promote the pilot work to achieve positive results and demonstration effects, gradually establishing a water budget management system.