Rural revamp enhances village life
In 2018, the Huai’an city government launched a project to improve living conditions in rural areas.
One such area was the Zhangxing community in Shitang township in Huai’an, Jiangsu province, which used to be a messy village with many of its villagers effected by poor housing conditions.
“We prioritized people’s needs as we implemented the project,” said Wen Zaijian, head of Zhangxing community. “The design proposal was determined after several meetings with the villagers.”
As a result, Zhangxing community, with a population of 2,076, had revamped 212 old houses and built 186 new houses by the end of 2020.
Villager Shen Yulian, for example, left the old bungalow where she had lived for nearly 30 years and moved into a twostory house with a floor space of 1,400 square feet thanks to the project.
“I love the new house for its ample space and lights. My grandson now has his own room,” Shen said.
The community environment was also enhanced through the planting of more trees, demolishing illegal buildings and installing more sports and entertainment facilities.
Ge Hui, director of Shitang’s publicity department, said: “The area used to be disorderly and messy but now you can see wide roads, neat houses, a primary school, a supermarket and a hospital. It’s a remarkable transformation.”
Another highlight of the project is its integration of local natural beauty, culture and industries into its construction, Wen said.
Located at the northeast of the community is Zhangxing Innovation Industrial Park. Home to a host of fabric and cable manufacturers, the park offers more than 200 jobs to local people.
In addition to those working in nearby factories, other villagers in Zhangxing were encouraged to become engaged in rural tourism.
The community leased 436 pieces of farmland to families who live in surrounding cities. The land, mostly used by city dwellers to harvest organic produce and as sites for their children to study farming-related topics, is estimated to bring about an income of 280,000 yuan ($44,140) to local villagers each year, Wen said.
By September, the city of Huai’an had completed 140 housing renovation projects, benefiting 51,000 households in rural areas.
Like Zhangxing, many villages in the city have been upgraded to modern communities.
Zhang Guoliang, deputy Party secretary of the city, said the improvement of housing conditions is a key step for Huai’an to push forward rural revitalization.
Based on the housing-renovation projects, Huai’an will continue to improve its rural environment and enhance services for residents in the future, Zhang said.