Innovative program digs deep to revitalize countryside of Guizhou

By Cao Yingying ( China Daily )

Updated: 2018-03-09

Current year seen as pivotal for the region's future economic and social development

A new poverty alleviation program has been launched by the Guizhou Provincial Party Committee and government to revitalize the province's countryside, starting from Feb 24 and running to June 30.

According to the Guizhou government, the current year is seen as pivotal for the province's economic and social development.

The poverty alleviation program is the key mission for the province.

The program has four major goals, the first being to adjust the structure of the agricultural sector during this spring's ploughing season.

According to government plans, corn fields need to be reduced by 330,000 hectares in 2018 while the total area given over to cultivating vegetables is set to reach 933,333 hectares and tea plantations should cover 373,333 hectares.

A total of 8,000 hectares are earmarked to grow edible mushrooms and 230,000 hectares of fields will be used to plant Chinese medical herbs. In addition, the government is targeting a poultry population of 80 million and total 2018 egg production of 75,000 metric tons. According to the Guizhou government, low-income villages will establish special farmers cooperatives, supported by technical teams and the general community will be involved in the cooperatives.

Officials said the government was placing great importance on applying practical measures for improvements at the village, family and farmer level.

To speed up road construction in villages, Guizhou will increase investment by 10 billion yuan ($1.58 billion) in the current year to build 15,000 kilometers of new highways, for the benefit of 2.35 million locals including 350,000 impoverished residents.

Officials said road improvement and maintenance was the second major goal of the new program.

The government will focus on the design and specifications of roads to ensure the quality of highways, and will use big data to improve management and maintenance of old expressways.

In addition, village bus services will be improved to bolster the rural transport network.

The third important action being taken in 2018 is that the Guizhou government will relocate selected rural areas and implement urbanization there, on a county-by-county basis.

Officials said that by the end of March, some 132 population resettlement programs should be operating. The government said that 30 percent of the main infrastructure projects associated with the initiative should be completed by the end of June.

Last year 251 resettlement programs were implemented, involving new houses for 760,000 residents, 680,000 of them below the poverty line.

The Guizhou government also released policies on the education, medicine and housing sectors.

Officials said plans to improvement nutrition will cover pre-school children in 66 impoverished counties.

Financial aid to poor students will be timely and the province's government will improve education standards in districts with ethnic communities.

The construction of clinics in rural areas and primary and middle schools will also be standardized and normalized. According to the Guizhou government, 80 percent of renovation projects involving dangerous and old houses, as well as rivers and roads, are expected to start earlier in the year.

In addition, it is estimated that 20 percent of these projects should be completed by the end of June.

Officials added that to ensure the smooth running of the projects, the Guizhou government would allocate sufficient project funding and encourage craftsmen and villagers to participate in the projects.

caoyingying@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 03/09/2018 page18)