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Quake survivors have great expectations for stimulus funds
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-11-21 22:57

Major industrial, business and tourism enterprises, as well as infrastructure, transport, agriculture and forestry projects could benefit from the subsidy, the Sichuan Provincial Finance Department said.

The subsidy, in effect from May 12, 2008 to December 31, 2011, will be paid for out of central government funds.

New buildings are rising

In Zipingpu town, where Gou's home stood before the quake, developers are building a tourism compound. They plan to resettle her family in a new and better apartment, said Gou.

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"I plan to open a restaurant at the compound" and take advantage of preferential rights pledged by the local government and developers, she said.

Another quake survivor with high expectations is Zhang Min, who lives in temporary housing with his mother and son at the Happy Family compound built by the government of Dujiangyan city.

Zhang, whose apartment in the Nanjie community was destroyed by the quake, also wanted to have a new apartment and a new career as a chef.

The resettlement policy announced by Dujiangyan in November, featuring a "70 square meter ownership exchange" for urban residents, lived up to his expectations.

The city government will complete 3.8 million square meters of housing by 2010 to resettle 41,000 families comprising 123,000 people, said Long Xiaohui, who runs the Dujiangyan Urban and Township Housing Reconstruction Office.

Any city household can get a new, free 70 sq m apartment in exchange for their previously owned land and home, Long said. This system would solve the problems of many quake survivors who lack cash to buy a new residence.

They also have the option of taking a government grant of 25,000 yuan and building, buying or renting accommodation, he said.

"The central and local governments' steps to rebuild and spur domestic demand are an enormous boost to survivors' financial resources as well as confidence," he said. "We will meet survivors' expectations within two years."

For Zhang, who chose the 70 sq m exchange, his next step is a new job.

"I'd like to work in a restaurant," he said. Zhang was a restaurant cook on the date the quake struck.

He said he believed that the restaurant business in Dujiangyan, which is a popular tourist destination, would revive within two years.