National

Regional

Taiwan, HK, Macao

Special Coverage

Focus

Society

Profiles

Chengdu's priorities: education, accommodation, medication

By Zhao Xie (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-05-13 16:12

As the anniversary looms of the May 2008 earthquake that devastated Sichuan province and its capital city, Chengdu, global and national attention is again focused on the area -- but this time on its massive rebuilding program.

A booming commercial street in Chengdu indicates business in the city has rapidly returned to normal following the quake. [China Daily]

Few will need reminding of the terrible consequences of the tremor that shook the area on the afternoon of May 12, 2008. In the wake of one of China's worst natural disasters in recent history, tens of thousands were killed. The earthquake, measuring 8 on the Richter scale, was one of the largest ever-recorded in China and caused record damage to the region's infrastructure.

Since the beginning of August 2008, the city of Chengdu has been at the heart of a massive reconstruction program. At the forefront of the program has been a mission to restore vital services, including hospitals, schools and housing.

The local authorities' ambitious reconstruction program is scheduled to run over a three-year period. It is designed to ensure the complete restoration of the region's housing stock, educational services and medical care facilities.

Full coverage:  Sichuan, One Year On... Related readings:  Mourn for the dead in Beichuan on quake anniversary  Hu attends ceremony marking quake anniversary in Sichuan  Life resumes normal after last May's earthquake  Revisit Sichuan on quake anniversary  Rescue drill held to mark first anniversary of the quake

A second stage of the program, outlined by the municipal government, sees a further two years of investment aimed at raising the standard of living for the city's 11 million population to well above the one they enjoyed before the earthquake.

With many residents left homeless by the tremors, accommodation was identified as the key priority for the city. Since last year, following relief funding from governments, businesses and individuals throughout the country, the local government has invested around 6.2 billion yuan in providing replacement housing.

According to the city government of Chengdu, the entire housing reconstruction project will be completed by May next year. This will see all of the local population housed in permanent residences.

The most difficult part of the project has proven to be rebuilding housing stock in rural areas. This has seen the city government draft its first ever overall blueprint for rural reconstruction.

   Previous page 1 2 Next Page  

   Previous page 1 2 Next Page