Shanghai plans free email boxes

For a country that was so much used to a planned economy, it is very hard to let things go. Shanghai announced this week a system where one million free e-mail boxes would be provided, writes the Shanghai Daily. That raises a multitude of ambivalent feelings.
As the user of about half a dozen different free email boxes I really do not want another one. Why would the government give us something we do not need? Then, Shanghai has about 20 million inhabitants, when they have only one million available, how would they pick the lucky people. While I do not want a free email box, I also hope they do not leave me out: that would be a nasty thing to do, isn't it?
The government wants to distribute her information in that way, because she is afraid that many of the paper leaflets to not get to its citizens. To be honest: I already get enough spam, I would rather not get the government-induced spam too.
Further we can pay our bills for utilities also online - for free. In most other countries banks offer this kind of services for free, in exchange for the honor of being able to deal with our money. In Shanghai the government offers the kind of services the banks fail to give and suggest we should be happy because it is for free.
Now, perhaps the government should encourage the banks to get their systems in place: this service sounds too outrageous for words.