Central SOEs to boost recruitment of migrant workers

Some ministry-level departments, including those responsible for State-owned assets, education, and public security, have responded recently to issues of public concern.

More SOE jobs planned for migrant workers

China's centrally administrated State-owned enterprises must boost recruitment of migrant workers, the State Council's State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission said on March 25.

Online and offline methods should be used in a flexible way to recruit impoverished migrant workers, it said in a news release posted on its website.

The commission said it had surveyed poor counties designated for support by central SOEs to learn the detailed employment demands of impoverished laborers, including the industries and workplaces they prefer.

It said central SOEs must actively consider migrant workers' employment demands and make recruitment plans.

Labor-intensive companies in the construction, trade, manufacturing and service industries will be encouraged to provide more jobs for impoverished migrant workers, it said.

The commission said it will strengthen communication and coordination with government departments to guarantee the employment of newly hired migrant workers as work resumes around the country in accordance with local epidemic control requirements.

Food safety a priority as schools resume

The authorities must ensure food safety in schools and kindergartens amid the novel coronavirus pneumonia pandemic, according to a notice published on March 23.

The notice, jointly issued by the State Administration for Market Regulation, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Public Security, said local authorities are responsible for making plans and taking measures to coordinate epidemic control work with food safety-related work in schools and kindergartens in regions that have started the spring semester.

The health status of personnel involved in school catering should be monitored closely, it said, and tableware, food processing equipment and dining places should be kept clean and sanitary.

Local market regulation authorities must strengthen food safety supervision and inspection, it said, adding that illegal activities will be severely punished.

Nationwide campaign to help the homeless

A nationwide campaign has been launched to improve relief services for homeless people and beggars who have no means of support.

The campaign, launched by the Ministry of Civil Affairs and 10 other departments, urges local authorities to use methods including DNA matching and face recognition to help such people find their families.

Local authorities should also help people who have been homeless for a long time to settle down, the ministry said.

Police and city management organs should promote security management to reduce "professional begging", and avoid injuries and death due to frost and starvation, it said.

Civil affairs authorities at all levels should guide relief management institutions to establish databases on vagrants.

The ministry also called for improving the quality of relief management workers and care services, and the exploration of third-party supervision to oversee the operation of local relief management institutions and care services.

The campaign will end in June next year.

Timely land use approval for investment projects

Land use approval for major investment projects will not be delayed during the resumption of work and production, Liu Guohong, a spokesman for the Ministry of Natural Resources, said on March 21.

Since the start of the novel coronavirus pneumonia pandemic, the ministry has implemented special procedures to speed up administrative approval in order to provide timely and accurate services to guarantee land use so that investment projects can begin as soon as possible, Liu said.

Speaking at a news conference in Beijing held by the State Council's joint epidemic prevention and control mechanism, he said one problem with the existing land approval system was that it took too long to get administrative permission.

Liu said China's revised Land Administration Law, which took effect on Jan 1, authorized provincial governments to approve two items that previously required State Council approval.

Reforms such as integrating business certification and licenses into one consolidated business license had also helped to reduce the procedures needed for land approval, he said.