Senior official stresses eradicating poverty in West China on schedule

LHASA - A senior official has called for enhanced efforts in eradicating poverty in West China's underdeveloped areas and making sure to win the battle against poverty on schedule.

Hu Chunhua, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chief of the State Council leading group of poverty alleviation and development, made the remarks when he inspected poverty-eradication work in Tibet autonomous region from Oct 11 to 13.

Parts of Tibet, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, and provinces of Sichuan, Qinghai, Gansu and Yunnan are major targeted areas for the country to win an overall combat against poverty on schedule.

Hu said the poverty alleviation campaign has entered a crucial stage and the country will continue its efforts unswervingly to ensure all rural population living in poverty-hit areas will be lifted out of poverty.

More efforts should be made to satisfy the need of poor population in terms of compulsory education, basic medical care, safe housing and drinking water.

To consolidate achievements of poverty relief campaign, more measures should be taken, including boosting poverty-alleviation industries and county-level economy, and enhancing follow-up support for people relocated from harsh living conditions, he added.