REGIONAL> Development
Plans galore to integrate city cluster
By Zhang Xin and Feng Zhiwei (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-01-20 07:43

Plans galore to integrate city cluster

CHANGSHA: Authorities in Hunan province are planning 10 landmark projects this year to provide the urban cluster of Changsha, Zhuzhou and Xiangtan with a platform of modern infrastructure, a top official said on Monday.

During the province's people's congress session, Governor Zhou Qiang said building a "resource-conserving and environment friendly zone" was a key task for this year, apart from improving the integration of the three-city cluster.

"We are planning the projects, including the construction of the Changsha subway, intercity light rails and highways, to strengthen geographical links in the region," Zhou said.

The province has already scrapped long distance call charges and mobile phone roaming charges between Changsha, Zhuzhou and Xiangtan from Jan 1 this year.

Zhou said the local government further aimed to integrate financial businesses in the cluster, "so that a company in Xiangtan can borrow money from a bank in Zhuzhou, for example".

Social welfare and public service is also a key point in the integration process, the governor said.

Plans galore to integrate city cluster

"The government will build more schools with top class teaching resources across cities and create a platform for sharing education and information," he said.

While developing the economic and social sectors, the province will also make concentrated efforts to protect the environment, he said.

The government has plans to enforce stricter farmland protecting rules, and regulate the mining exploitation process in order to guarantee an orderly and sustainable development mechanism in the province, said Zhou.

The province will designate seven industrial parks, dedicated to steel, paper, textile and chemical industries, to act as test fields, mainly to explore clean production technology and help develop a greener economy, he said.

Model environmental protection enterprises will be set up, and the government will support eco-friendly companies, such as Changsha Kaitian Environmental Tech Co and Yongqing Environmental Protection Group, he said.

"There is a plan to incorporate Yueyang, Changde,Yiyang, Loudi, Hengyang, the five cities surrounding Changsha, Zhuzhou and Xiangtan region in our '3+5' development plan to build a resource-economical and environment friendly society," Zhou added.

Hunan provincial government first initiated a plan to integrate Changsha, Zhuzhou and Xiangtan in 1998 to boost the network sharing of transport, resource, finance, information and environment treatment.