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China going all out to improve rural life
By Cao Xiaofan and Lin Jianyang |
February 3, 2010, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
CHINA will invest more in rural areas this year to narrow the urban-rural gap, the central government said Sunday in its first policy document of the year.
The document, jointly issued by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the State Council, or the Cabinet, promised to improve the livelihood of rural residents, which it said is one of the main tasks in China's efforts to adjust the resident income distribution system.
Expanding rural demand should be the key measure in boosting domestic demand, it said, while developing modern agriculture should be considered as a major task in transforming China's economic growth pattern. It called for more efforts to maintain grain production and increase of farmers' income.
The Agricultural Development Bank is required to offer mid- and long-term policy-based loan services to rural infrastructure and projects related to agricultural development, which Chen Xiwen, director of the Office of the Central Rural Work Leading Group, called a breakthrough in China's rural financial service.
"It means a great amount of funding will be channeled into agricultural development, which could fill the long-time policy gaps concerning mid- and long-term policy-based loans", Chen said in an interview Sunday.
More subsidies should be channeled to increase the output of grain, potatoes, highland barley and peanuts, and to purchase of agricultural machinery, the document said. The government would implement more policies for purchasing and stockpiling major agricultural products, including corn, soybean and oil seeds, to stabilize prices of major farm produce.
More efforts will be made to strengthen financial services including micro-credit loans and insurance service in rural areas, according to the document. It promised that basic banking services would be available in all villages and towns in the next three years.
Enterprises which establish rural welfare foundations would enjoy tax breaks, with no more than 12 percent of their annual profits being deducted before calculation of enterprise income tax.
About 60 percent of the 150 million migrant workers were born in the 1980s or 1990s and are referred as the "new generation of migrant workers" by the document. They are not familiar with farming but very keen on being part of city life.
The country will ease the restrictions over permanent residence permits in county seats and townships so that more rural residents can move in and enjoy the same rights and public services as original urban residents, the document said. To attract more rural labor, the country will put more resources in economic growth at the county level, and will implement preferential policies in land use, reform of government investment and taxation.
The country will encourage city governments to allow migrant workers, who have stable jobs and live in the cities for a certain period of time, to join urban housing programs. Migrant workers will also be included in the basic medical insurance and pension program in cities.
The document was not only about economic issues, it also pledged to promote village democracy.
Indeed, as the document said, efforts should be made to regulate the election procedure of village committees and heads, introduce democratic decision-making, and promote transparency in village asset management.
(The authors are Xinhua writers.)
The document, jointly issued by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the State Council, or the Cabinet, promised to improve the livelihood of rural residents, which it said is one of the main tasks in China's efforts to adjust the resident income distribution system.
Expanding rural demand should be the key measure in boosting domestic demand, it said, while developing modern agriculture should be considered as a major task in transforming China's economic growth pattern. It called for more efforts to maintain grain production and increase of farmers' income.
The Agricultural Development Bank is required to offer mid- and long-term policy-based loan services to rural infrastructure and projects related to agricultural development, which Chen Xiwen, director of the Office of the Central Rural Work Leading Group, called a breakthrough in China's rural financial service.
"It means a great amount of funding will be channeled into agricultural development, which could fill the long-time policy gaps concerning mid- and long-term policy-based loans", Chen said in an interview Sunday.
More subsidies should be channeled to increase the output of grain, potatoes, highland barley and peanuts, and to purchase of agricultural machinery, the document said. The government would implement more policies for purchasing and stockpiling major agricultural products, including corn, soybean and oil seeds, to stabilize prices of major farm produce.
More efforts will be made to strengthen financial services including micro-credit loans and insurance service in rural areas, according to the document. It promised that basic banking services would be available in all villages and towns in the next three years.
Enterprises which establish rural welfare foundations would enjoy tax breaks, with no more than 12 percent of their annual profits being deducted before calculation of enterprise income tax.
About 60 percent of the 150 million migrant workers were born in the 1980s or 1990s and are referred as the "new generation of migrant workers" by the document. They are not familiar with farming but very keen on being part of city life.
The country will ease the restrictions over permanent residence permits in county seats and townships so that more rural residents can move in and enjoy the same rights and public services as original urban residents, the document said. To attract more rural labor, the country will put more resources in economic growth at the county level, and will implement preferential policies in land use, reform of government investment and taxation.
The country will encourage city governments to allow migrant workers, who have stable jobs and live in the cities for a certain period of time, to join urban housing programs. Migrant workers will also be included in the basic medical insurance and pension program in cities.
The document was not only about economic issues, it also pledged to promote village democracy.
Indeed, as the document said, efforts should be made to regulate the election procedure of village committees and heads, introduce democratic decision-making, and promote transparency in village asset management.
(The authors are Xinhua writers.)
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