About 91 percent of netizens supported the coupon policy, a Shenzhen News Net survey found last month.

But netizens also voiced concerns about the scheme. Some feared the coupons' values might be directly deducted from their salaries.

Many businesses believed allowing designated stores to cash the coupons would be unfair to those that could not.

Others insisted education and medical costs had to be lowered before any real domestic consumption boost became viable.

Many other NPC deputies and CPPCC members also voiced doubts.

"I think it's an image project," CPPCC member Sun Jianfang said.

"High-income people don't need the money, and the poor might not use the money if it had to come from their own pockets."

Session member and Chinese Academy of Sciences scholar Rong Jiayu agreed, saying: "The point is not to just hand out money or coupons, but rather, to ensure all levels of government always prioritize the common people."

CPPCC member and PricewaterhouseCoopers China partner Zhang Guojun said: "What I worry about is how the coupons will be issued ultimately, I believe the key is systematic reform to boost social security investment. Issuing coupons is only a temporary solution with limited long-term impact."

Some leading scholars, such as prominent economist Mao Yushi, advocate coupons and urge immediate action.

The Ministry of Commerce (MOC) is "closely tracking" the impact of the coupons already issued, but there are no plans yet for nationwide implementation, MOC chief Chen Deming said on Tuesday.

(China Daily March 6, 2009)