Xi'an rolls out action plan for rural revitalization

Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province, issued a three-year plan (2019-2021) on March 31 to implement its rural revitalization strategy to develop the integration of urban and rural development, according to local officials.

The action plan proposes that from 2019 to 2021, the city will make efforts to solve the problems of the large urban-rural gaps in Xi'an -- the low level of rural productivity development, lagging infrastructure, uneven level of public services and insufficient development.

Focusing on strengthening the creation of an improved overall developmental system for the agricultural industry, the city will ensure that the annual planting area of grain is stable at about 266,666.67 hectares and annual output is maintained at more than 1.2 million metric tons.

By 2021, it will strive to build one or two national-level demonstration villages for rural tourism, as well as 60 municipal-level and 30 provincial-level demonstration villages for rural tourism.

At that time, the target is to have the added value of the city's primary industry topping 30 billion yuan ($4.23 billion) and the per capita disposable income of rural residents topping 17,000 yuan.

Officials said the city will continue to promote the revolution in treatment and overall standards in garbage, sewage and toilets in rural areas, accelerate the upgrading of infrastructure and implement general greening and beautification, as well as increase the utilization of agricultural production waste resources.

Another goal is that in 2021, the proportion of administrative villages conducting effective treatment and effective control of domestic sewage in the city will reach 70 percent and 30 percent, respectively.

In the rural toilet revolution project, 125,000 sanitary toilets will be constructed each year and  renovation of household toilets and rural school toilets will be fully completed.

By 2021, the aim is for the city's village forest coverage rate to reach more than 30 percent and the greening rate will even top 40 percent in key areas such as tourist villages and demonstration villages.

Officials said that in 2020, the city will complete its drive to lift the remaining poor households out of poverty.

In addition, the city will hold meetings every month to increase support for land policy and ensure that the target tasks are completed according to schedule.