CHINA / SOCIETY
Xinjiang relocates nearly 170,000 poor residents in 4 years
Published: Dec 10, 2019 10:58 AM

A man and his wife rest in their house at the Qushou Village of Saybag Township in Moyu County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Nov. 21, 2019. A series of housing projects in 22 impoverished counties in southern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region have benefited around 396,100 households since 2018, not only providing better homes for those who once lived in shabby residences but also boosting their source of livelihood. Measures including "toilet revolution" and flower planting have been carried out in these poverty-stricken villages. Based on the successful experience in the south of Xinjiang, local authorities have pushed forward the building of "beautiful courtyard" project in all villages of Xinjiang in a bid to improve locals' living standards since 2019. Photo:Xinhua


 
Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has completed the target of relocating its poor residents ahead of schedule, the local government announced.

The regional government set the goal of relocating a total of 169,400 people from 40,146 households from the plateau, mountain and desert areas to new houses built with government subsidies in oases and plain areas in five years from 2016 to 2020. The last batch of residents was relocated in early December.

Besides public services such as tap water, electricity, roads and gas, supporting facilities including kindergartens, primary schools, health centers, recreational centers and squares have also been built in many relocation sites.

To create jobs, local governments are also working to attract companies to open factories near those sites and encourage villagers to start their own businesses.