The Shanghai municipal government will strengthen land
requisition reforms and expand the social security system in the
suburbs to help farmers, officials said Monday at a conference on
suburban development.
"Local suburbs should take the nation's lead in realizing a high
quality lifestyle and modernization. The next 10 to 20 years will
be the most important period for suburban development," said Liu
Yungeng, the city's deputy Party secretary, adding that this
follows central government's requirements.
Increasing the income of farmers is still one of the most
important tasks in suburban development, officials said.
By 2010, the municipal government plans to reduce farm laborers
from 700,000 to 250,000. Extra farm laborers will be shifted to
factory work with higher salaries.
In the past, farmers would receive a lump-sum payment when land
was taken by the government for industrial development. But their
future was always uncertain as they struggled to find a new job in
the workplace.
Now the government will leave a certain amount of land to
farmers and allow them to share in proceeds from land used for
industrial development. Farmers were also encouraged to rent their
houses.
"In this way, farmers can enjoy stable and long-term profit from
the land," said Vice Mayor Hu Yanzhao.
The government also expanded the social security system in the
suburbs. About 374,000 farmers received coverage since the policy
was implemented last October. They plan to cover 500,000 farmers by
the end of this year.
(Shanghai Daily August 31, 2004)