Regional authorities taking the lead through launch of livelihood projects

Residents of Tacheng prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, enjoy a strong sense of gain, happiness and security, thanks to an array of livelihood projects launched by local governments in recent years.

Spanning about 105,000 square kilometers, Tacheng prefecture consists of three county-level cities of Tacheng, Wusu and Shawan, as well as Emin, Tuoli and Yumin counties and Hoboksar Mongolian autonomous county. There are about 1.11 million permanent residents from 29 ethnic groups in the area.

According to official data, in 2024, about 70 percent of the prefecture's general public budget expenditure and over 80 percent of its aid money were allocated for people's livelihoods. In 2024, the per capita disposable income of urban residents in Tacheng prefecture was 37,050 yuan ($5,050), up 6 percent year-on-year, while that of the rural residents stood at 25,442 yuan, growing by 7.5 percent over the previous year.

Adhering to people-centered development, Tacheng has made sustained efforts to address livelihood issues and improve people's well-being, local officials said.

Qiaxia township in Tacheng city installed 30 solar insecticidal lamps in 2024, each capable of covering a field of 33.33-66.67 hectares. The lamp is a new eco-friendly agricultural device that stores solar-generated electric power in the daytime and induces pests to be eliminated at night, said Liu Wenqiang, a researcher from the agricultural and animal husbandry development center of Qiaxia township. It is a favorable livelihood project for residents, while fostering the healthy development of agriculture, Liu said.

"Our village has set up 10 insecticidal lamps. These help us reduce the use of chemical pesticides, raise crop yields and quality and increase income," said Zhao Hui, Party secretary of Qiaxia village in Qiaqia township.

New roads

At the end of October, construction of the Bayinaowa-Dongduhaergate pastoral road in Hoboksar Mongolian autonomous county was completed. The 5.1-kilometer route has brought great convenience to Bayinaowa and Chagankule townships as well as several pastures, facilitating herders' travel and livestock migration, according to local authorities.

Den Arqeh, a herdsman from the Bostan pasture in the county, said: "The road is the essential path for seasonal livestock migration. In the past, we had to take a detour and spend 500-700 yuan on transportation. With the new road, we can save lots of transportation costs."

Meanwhile, the city of Wusu invested 34.18 million yuan in building and renovating 63.17 km of roads in 2024. All were in operation by August, benefiting more than 17,300 households in six townships across the city.

To date, the total mileage of rural roads in Tacheng prefecture has reached 10,217.94 km, including 1,305.79 km of county roads, 3,661.69 km of township roads, and 5,250.46 km of village roads.

In addition to road construction, townships and villages initiated many infrastructure projects last year to improve people's livelihoods. For example, Wulanwusu township installed 660 new solar streetlights in its nine villages, and all residents in Koktag village now have access to modern toilets due to the sewage pipes laid in September.

Healthcare services

Founded in 1951, Yumin County People's Hospital is the only secondary comprehensive hospital in the county. It currently has 500 pieces of large and medium-sized medical equipment and 145 beds in use, as well as 17 clinical departments, four medical technology departments and 14 functional departments.

To meet growing demand for healthcare services, the hospital started construction of a comprehensive building in June 2023, with 41 million yuan in aid money from Northeast China's Liaoning province. The new building, with a floor area of 10,000 square meters, is expected to provide 110 additional hospital beds and expand the area of departments such as the hemodialysis unit, intensive care unit and laboratory.

The hospital's overall capabilities will be enhanced with the new building, and patients will receive more effective diagnoses and treatments, said Wang Yuping, chief physician of the internal medicine department of the hospital.

zhanglinwan@chinadaily.com.cn