No flowers, no flower terraces, no inspections or evening performances, all the deputies, committee members and staff have buffet in the hotels, and even the purified water come in barrels instead of bottles.

A frugal practice has brought positive energy to Tibetan annual sessions, the 10th Tibetan People's Congress and the 10th Tibetan People's Political Consultative Conference, which opened on Jan.22 and Jan.24, 2013 respectively.

La can, vice secretary-general of the Tibetan People's Political Consultative Conference Committee said that the session this year will be shortened to five days without visiting inspections and evening performances and all materials of the session would be strictly inspected in accordance with the rules of being“ brief and short”.

Sonam, a “senior committee member” from Lang sai Group of Lhasa said “the duration of the meeting was longer in the past. As time is money for businessmen like me, it was inconvenient as we couldn’t be absent without any reason.”

Yang Qingqu, a“senior committee member”from Chamdo Prefecture said “ the meeting style has changed a lot this year. In the past, there are flowers on the platform, but now there are even no bottled mineral water, not to mention flowers.”

“There are less meeting materials than last year, but the contents are briefer, shorter and more substantial. And there are more measures to improve people’s livelihood,” Yang added.

At the crossroads outside the conference hall, there are no road closures or traffic control, and the vehicles of the deputies also have to observe the traffic rules.

Compared with normal days, there is no difference in traffic on the streets except for several more traffic police on duty in the interaction and more vehicles.

It is reported that during the annual two sessions, there are no police escorts or traffic controls for the deputies.

In order to ensure that the road is clear, the local Tibetan government has arranged some temporary traffic police in the interactions to ease the traffic. Outside the conference hall, the atmosphere appears more solemn as there are no balloons, banners or red carpets. Deputies and committee members from all over Tibet walked into the meeting hall with simple brief cases in their hands.

Dawa, a deputy from the Khyung Lin Village, in Neyul Luoba ethnic group Autonomous Township, Mainling County, Nyingchi Prefecture, said “the meeting style has changed a lot this year, such as the dining, which can not only save time, but also curb waste. Entertainment is also strictly prohibited. Therefore, the deputies and committee members have more time to discuss issues about and exchange views on the local development.”

As a matter of fact, like Dawa, the majority of the deputies and committee members care about how many things they can do for the people instead of their food.

The frugal and fresh meeting style has delivered “positive energy” to the annual two sessions, as the deputies and committee members could put more focus on performing duties, participating in politics and offering advice and suggestions.

In the future they will spend more time on the grass-roots areas to listen to public opinions so as to improve people’s living conditions.