Bac Giang: Need to strictly manage festival revenues

759 ranked monuments

Bac Giang is a land of outstanding people, bearing the ancient cultural imprint of the ancient Kinh Bac region. In the field of heritage, Bac Giang is proud to inherit and preserve about 2,237 historical and cultural relics; of which, 759 relics are ranked (including 6 relics and special national relic clusters with 38 points; 91 national relics and 630 provincial relics). In terms of scale of relics, Bac Giang belongs to the group of 3 provinces and cities with the largest number of relics in the country, belongs to the group of 5 provinces and cities with the largest number of special national relics in the country and belongs to the group of 10 provinces and cities leading in the number of national relics.

Bac Giang is proud to inherit and preserve about 2,237 historical and cultural relics. Photo: Bao Quyen

Not only is it a heritage area with rich historical and cultural relics, but it is also famous for its traditional folk festivals held annually. By the end of 2024, there will be 784 festivals in Bac Giang province. Many festivals are held on a large scale, attracting a large number of domestic and foreign tourists to participate, such as: Yen The Uprising 140th Anniversary Festival (1884-2024), Bo Da Pagoda Festival, Tho Ha Festival, Van Village Water Wrestling Festival (Viet Yen town); Y Son Festival, Tieu Mai Village Boating Festival (Hiep Hoa district); Vong Communal House Festival (Tan Yen district); Suoi Mo Festival (Luc Nam district); Vinh Nghiem Pagoda Festival, Xuong Giang Victory Festival (Bac Giang city); Tien Luc Festival (Lang Giang district); Tay Yen Tu Festival, An Chau Boating Festival (Son Dong district) ...

According to the leaders of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Bac Giang province, in recent times, realizing the importance of financial management, collection and expenditure for festival organization and donation money, sponsorship for relics and festival activities, the province has strengthened the direction of specialized agencies to promote propaganda, training, guidance, regular inspection and reminders, relics strictly implement management and use of donation funds, public and transparent funding sources, and at the same time strengthen the direction to promote information and propaganda about the set of criteria on cultural environment in traditional festivals (specifying the criteria on building a cultural environment at relics and festivals). This is considered an important step to improve the effectiveness of organizing festivals in a civilized, healthy and economical direction. Through that, localities build a civilized and healthy festival cultural environment; preserve and promote traditional cultural values, good customs and practices and spread them in social life; Gradually eliminate backward customs, practices, and practices. At the same time, create positive changes in the management of donations and sponsorship money at historical and cultural relics and festivals, prevent waste, negativity, corruption, and taking advantage of religious activities for personal gain.

People go to worship at Suoi Mo Temple (Luc Nam), Photo: Bao Quyen

Regarding the relic management apparatus, the establishment of a part-time relic management board has received attention from localities, thereby creating consensus, unity and transparency in receiving, managing and using donations and sponsorships. The donations and sponsorships are used by localities for the right purposes, contributing to the protection and promotion of the value of relics and festival activities; contributing to community activities and the socio-economic development of the locality. In 2024, the total revenue from festival activities will reach more than 46.5 billion VND, with nearly 32 billion VND spent; the total donations and sponsorships for relics will be more than 71.6 billion VND, with nearly 60 billion VND spent...

Speed ​​up the progress of granting land use certificates for relics

Through surveying a number of relics in Bac Giang city, Tan Yen and Yen The districts, and at the same time grasping the report of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, members of the Provincial People's Council's Supervisory Delegation frankly pointed out a number of shortcomings in this field such as: the granting of land use right certificates for relics is still slow; the management and use of donation money and funding sources, especially the remaining funds after organizing festivals, are still limited; the form of handling in cases where the relic management board does not comply with regulations or does not fulfill its responsibilities; the fee for collecting tickets at festivals is higher than the regulations...

The Provincial People's Council's supervision delegation conducted a field survey at Luong Van Nam Temple. Photo: Bao Quyen

Management at current relic sites is facing many difficulties because the representatives of religious and belief establishments, the elders in the Restoration Board and the Working Board are mostly old, participating in relic management do not have support sources, and have limited access to information technology, so management is difficult. Recording and updating the content of revenue and expenditure at some relic sites is not scientific, because the person assigned to monitor the task does not have professional expertise in accounting work, and has not been instructed on monitoring financial revenue and expenditure. Members of the relic management board often have to be reorganized, so monitoring the revenue and expenditure of donations is also affected...

The Provincial People's Council's monitoring delegation organized a monitoring of the implementation of legal regulations on the management of festival financial revenue and expenditure; donations, sponsorship for relics and activities at some ranked relics in the province at the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Photo: Bao Quyen

Concluding the supervision, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council Nghiem Xuan Huong requested that local sectors continue to disseminate and guide local authorities, functional sectors, management boards or representatives of religious establishments on regulations related to financial management of festival organization, donation money, and sponsorship for relics.

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council Nghiem Xuan Huong concluded the supervision. Photo: Bao Quyen

Coordinate with district and commune authorities to review and supplement the system of operating regulations of relic management boards; direct localities to issue specific regulations and rules in this field. Advise the Provincial People's Committee to take measures to coordinate between the authorities and organizations and individuals representing religious and belief establishments and ranked relics to manage and use donations and sponsorships to ensure publicity and transparency.

"In particular, it is necessary to improve the effectiveness of festival organization, avoid wastefulness and insecurity; strictly manage festival revenues and use them for the right purposes. Strengthen inspection, examination and timely correction of violations. Provincial functional departments coordinate with local authorities to speed up the process of granting land use right certificates for ranked relics," Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council Nghiem Xuan Huong requested.

Lily

Source: https://daibieunhandan.vn/bac-giang-can-quan-ly-chat-che-cac-khoan-thu-tu-le-hoi-post410719.html