NPC prepares for vote

Source:

03-11-2006 13:41

The ongoing session of the NPC has been completing its work on the top legislative body's draft proposals and guidelines. This, ahead of its vote on China's new five year development program and government work report.

A presidium meeting of the NPC session announced on Friday, that the two major documents will be put to a vote at the closing ceremony of the session on March 14.

34 major revisions have been made to the draft document of the 11th Five Year Program for Economic and Social Development, and eight to the Government's work report.

Chairman of the NPC Fiscal and Financial Committee, Fu Zhihuan, said the draft five-year program is positive, feasible, and achievable, after tangible efforts.

The five-year program proposes an annual growth rate of 7.5 percent until 2010.

The government also proposes aggressive schemes to invest in the country's rural areas in the fields of infrastructure, free compulsory education, and medicare facilities.

The revisions to the five-year economic development program and Premier Wen's report have been based on the suggestions and opinions of the nearly 3,000 deputies.

Major additions to the five-year program include:

--Efforts should be strengthened to encourage teachers in urban schools to assist rural education.

--Rural architecture with unique characteristics should be protected.

--Educational fees should be well regulated and publicized for public comment and supervision.

Suggestions for the government's work report are:

--An ecological compensation mechanism shall be set up for the improvement of the environment.

--More efforts shall be made to support the development of ethnic minority regions with lower populations.

The presidium meeting also decided to submit this year's draft plan for economic and social progress and the budget plan to the NPC session for adoption.

Editor:Wang Ping