Top leaders' "pilot zones" for scientific development benefit local people

The nine counties and cities whose studies of the scientific development theory are directly supervised by the nine members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Commitee, have achieved "obvious progress" in benefiting the local people, said the General Office of the CPC Central Committee on Monday.

The office said the counties and cities had worked to ensure economic growth, people's livelihoods and social stability while studying the Scientific Outlook on Development in the past half year under the direction of the top leaders.

The Scientific Outlook on Development stresses people-oriented, coordinated and sustainable economic and social development. It was brought forward by President Hu Jintao in 2003 at the 3rd Plenary Session of the 16th CPC Central Committee.

Ansai County of the northwestern Shaanxi Province, the "touchstone" for President Hu Jintao, had stepped up discipline supervision and rectification, the office said.

The disposable per capita income of urban residents in Ansai topped 8,000 yuan (1,172 U.S. dollars) in the first half of 2009, a 23.5 percent increase over the same period last year, the notice said.

For rural residents, per capita cash income reached nearly 2,800 yuan, up by 30.5 percent year on year.

Top legislator Wu Bangguo is in charge of Tiandong County of the southern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

The county has invested up to 110 million yuan in irrigation and drinking water projects by the end of July, 2009, aiming to solve drinking water problems for all its 135,000 farmers by the end of the year.

The county has also approved 1.6 billion yuan-worth of agricultural loans. Farmers' per capita cash income reached 2,850 yuan, more than 11 percent higher than the first half of 2008.

Jiangyou City in southwestern Sichuan Province, an area badly hit by the 8.0-magnitude earthquake last May, is under the guidance and supervision of Premier Wen Jiabao.

So far, Jiangyou has completed the construction of 102,000 rural homes and 2,600 urban residences, accounting for 94 and 26 percent of the total, respectively.

More than 78,700 urban residents are currently covered by medical insurance, according to the office.

Qian'an County of the northeastern Jilin Province is the responsibility of Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). The county plans to renovate 11,000 thatched cottages in the area by end of the year.

Other counties and cities that have achieved substantial progress include Zengcheng City of the southern Guangdong Province, Jiashan County of the eastern Zhejiang Province, Huantai County of the eastern Shandong Province, Chibi City of the central Hubei Province, and Huailai County of the northern Hebei Province.