Farmers central to governments' roles in urbanization
Updated: 2014-07-24 17:06
By Li Yang (chinadaily.com.cn)
|
|||||||||||
Governments at various levels should fulfill their responsibilities in pilot urbanization projects by focusing on serving the people, rather than only pursuing economic growth, said an article in 21st Century Business Herald. Excerpts:
The central authority recently asked provincial governments to choose some cities and towns with populations of more than 100,000 to pilot a new type of urbanization, featuring the urbanization of the agricultural population and equalization of public welfare and services.
Focusing on small and mid-sized cities in urbanization can effectively bridge the gap between the countryside and large cities in China, in terms of governance and public services, and relieve population pressure on mega-cities.
However, government officials should bear in mind that urbanization is a natural result of economic and social development. The government needs to know what role it should play in the process, and reduce its interference with the process that entails the healthy development of a market economy and society.
Some local governments regard urbanization as a way to rapidly bolster economic growth, through boosting investment in infrastructure construction, and to beef up their revenue by selling farmers' land to property developers.
The core tasks of governments in urbanization are to protect farmers' property rights, respect their options to become city residents or not, and provide access to urban welfare to farmers who have worked and lived in cities for years as migrant workers.
There should be a clear labor distribution among governments at various levels. A fair government revenue allocation system must be established accordingly to match government finances with their duties.
Local governments deserve more income from taxes and bonds to meet the rising demand for public input.
Moreover, the central government can open up many markets to private investors that were monopolized by it before, such as nursing homes for senior citizens, and invite social organizations to better serve communities.
The government and judicial authorities must take concrete action to guarantee employers protect migrant workers' rights according to the Labor Law. All employers should implement the principle of same-pay-for-same-job regardless of their employees' origins.
How to protect farmers' property rights over their land, which is collectively owned by all farmers of a village in China, is a knotty issue. Some local governments, such as the Anhui provincial authority, have already piloted a land reform project that tries to balance the interest of farmers and governments.
Lawmakers should revise the current Land Law to ensure no governments can acquire farmers' land by force and that farmers have a say over their land, and they deserve the overdue rights to capitalize their land in the market, as long as they do not change farmland into commercial land.
Related Stories
China's new urbanization to contribute to world 2014-07-09 14:51
Wudang an example of new-type urbanization 2014-07-07 17:28
Urbanization Transformation: Impetus and Guarantee 2014-06-26 09:10
Management of Urbanization 2014-06-26 09:10
The cost of urbanization is a city's history and culture 2014-06-24 15:34
Today's Top News
TransAsia crash while landing in Taiwan
UK fraud office liaising with China on GSK bribery case
Death toll in Gaza mounts to 701
Meat supplier in global crisis
Dogs 'capable' of feeling jealousy
Five detained over stale meat scandal
5 more universities set up human rights centers
Rebels likely downed jet 'by mistake'
Hot Topics
Lunar probe , China growth forecasts, Emission rules get tougher, China seen through 'colored lens', International board,
Editor's Picks
Reading into an online age |
China helps fight international war on drugs |
Crackdown on terrorist attacks |
My China Story: Meeting the master |
Long march to end employment bias |
Variety is the spice of academic life |