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Premier vows support, calls for confidence amid crisis

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-03-05 09:08

As part of the efforts to shore up domestic demand, Wen said China will also increase investment to improve China's social security network, whose low coverage has long be blamed for China's high saving rate.

"This year we will concentrate on accomplishing major tasks that are urgently needed in economic and social development and directly related to the vital interests of the people to improve wellbeing," Wen said.

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He said the central government plans to spend 293 billion yuan on the social safety net this year, up 17.6 percent or 43.9 billion yuan over the estimated figure for last year.

The money will be used to fund social welfare programs, including pension, medical insurance, unemployment insurance and living allowances to low-income groups.

The premier also unveiled details of a long-awaited health care reform plan, which aims to provide a universal primary medical service to the country's 1.3 billion people.

Governments at all levels will invest a 850 billion yuan in the next three years, including 331.8 billion yuan from the central government.

Efforts will also be made to create more jobs.

Earlier official figures show about 15.3 percent of the 130 million migrant workers had returned jobless from cities to the countryside against the backdrop of the global economic downturn. Meanwhile, another 6.11 million college students are due to graduate this year.

Wen said the government will do everything in its power to stimulate employment.

Wen said the government will make full use of role of the service sector, labor-intensive industries, small and medium-sized enterprises, and the non-public sector of the economy in creating jobs. The central government will allocate 42 billion yuan.

In response to increasing difficulty of maintaining steady agricultural development and increasing rural income, Wen said the central government will allocate a total of 716.1 billion this year in agriculture, rural areas and farmers, a year-on-year increase of 120.6 billion yuan.

As social uncertainty increases against the backdrop of slowing economy, Wen also promised that his government will improve efficiency and its ability to "manage overall economic and social development".

He also promised continuous efforts to combat corruption to promote clean government.

"We must discharge our duties with great diligence and, through our actions and achievements, build a government that is for the people and is pragmatic, clean, efficient to satisfy people's needs and win their trust," he said.

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