VIOLATORS of the family planning policy in Guangdong Province now face more lenient punishments since the province released amended regulations on the population and family planning policy May 31, SZTV reported.

According to the latest regulations that took effect on the day of release, the fines for violations are reduced by a maximum of three times, and specific restrictions for employees working for the government or public institutions have also been loosened.

The previous regulations required violators of the family planning policy who are either holders of urban household registration or village household registration to pay a fine equal to between three and six times the local area’s per capita disposable income of the year before.

Based on the latest regulations, the fine for giving birth to a third-child in Guangdong has been reduced to three times the per capita disposable income of the previous year.

The fines will accumulate based on the number of “extra children” in the family.

The above change also applies to those who have not registered their marriage.

For those who are married but have children with someone other than their spouses, the fines will be six times the local area’s per capita disposable income of the previous year. The former regulations required fines to be six to nine times the base.

Some punishments, especially harsh punishments against employees of State-owned enterprises, government departments and public institutions, were also deleted or changed in the new regulations.

For example, people who were working for the government would be fired from their position if they were found to have violated the national family planning policy, and would not be allowed to be employed by any State-owned working units for five years.

Theses violators also could not enjoy public medical welfare for seven years and some other public benefits for between seven and 15 years. These rules are no longer valid since the new regulations were rolled out.  (Zhang Qian)