The Chinese government on Sunday said it will raise electric
power rates to compensate 22 million people who have been relocated
to make way for dams and reservoirs.
They will be paid 600 yuan (US$75) a year for 20 years in the
hope of improving their living conditions.
The State Council's Subsidy Policies for People Who Were
Relocated to Make Way for Dams and Reservoirs was released to
public in full text on Sunday.
China has built more than 3,000 large and medium-sized
reservoirs since 1949 for flood control, electricity generation,
irrigation and water supply.
A leading official with the State Development and Reform
Commission (SDRC) said Sunday that people who were relocated "made
a great contribution to the country's economy by sacrificing their
own interests. However, a great number of them still live in
poverty, which has become a bottleneck for local economic
development and social stability."
The central government will spend more than 13 billion yuan
every year subsidizing those who were required to move. The money
will be raised by increasing power bills by 0.62 cents per kilowatt
hour, said the official.
The official said the subsidy must be distributed to every
immigrant in a timely and transparent way.
Personal accounts will be established for all people who were
relocated and the subsidy will be transferred to their personal
accounts directly to avoid local governments' withholding.
The central government will also raise funds through other
channels to improve infrastructure facilities, such as water and
electricity supply systems, transportation and telecommunication
facilities, for the relocated people, said the document.
The government will offer technical and occupational training
programs to immigrants to help them seek employment opportunities
in cities.
"Through subsidizing the immigrants, the government could
ensures all the citizens to share the country's reform fruits and
realize the sustainable economic and social development in the
reservoir areas," said the SDRC official.
He said the central government's decision of subsidizing the
reservoir immigrants embodies the government's adherence to the
scientific view of development, which features putting people first
and maintaining a comprehensive, harmonious and sustainable
development.
Helping reservoir immigrants lead a well-off life is of vital
importance to social stability, as several riots occurred over
recent years among the reservoir immigrants for pursuing better
life.
(Xinhua News Agency August 14, 2006)