BEIJING, May 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese central government has launched a project to improve transparency in local government affairs.

The project covers 100 counties and districts within 15 provincial regions, including Beijing, Guangdong and Guizhou according to the General Office of the State Council on Monday.

Improved transparency is crucial to efficiency and service-oriented governance, said the plan.

Pilot counties must build better public platforms to assist accessing government files.

Besides government websites and information offices, the project will make better use of traditional media, such as bulletin boards.

At the end of a year, governments will report their experiences to the State Council, which will draw up national standards on the disclosure of grassroots government information.

China has over 2,800 counties and county-level districts.