Ministries respond to issues of public concerns

A number of ministry-level departments, including those responsible for agricultural and rural affairs, civil affairs and flood control and drought relief, have responded to issues of public concern.

New rural industry plan

On July 16, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs released a plan to develop industries in the countryside from 2020 to 2025.

The development of such industries is an important foundation for rural revitalization, as an important way to raise farmers' incomes as well as an essential driving force for the modernization of agriculture and the countryside, according to the plan.

Authorities in provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities should work to promote secondary and tertiary industries in the countryside so farmers have more jobs and a better chance of boosting their earnings, the plan said.

The authorities should attract more market resources to rural areas, promote environmentally friendly, quality brands and employ modern technology to upgrade industries in rural areas, it added.

The plan aims to enable rural areas to enjoy a sound industrial system by 2025, including a stronger processing sector for agricultural produce and a tourism industry that will make 1.2 trillion yuan ($172 billion) every year.
Moreover, the online sales volume of agricultural produce should reach 1 trillion yuan a year, according to the plan.

More help for victims

The Ministry of Civil Affairs has issued a notice asking local civil affairs authorities to provide assistance to people in flooded areas and prevent them from slipping into poverty.

The notice asked authorities in flood-hit areas to issue sufficient, timely benefits to guarantee supplies for people in affected areas and said they should respond swiftly to those who call social aid hotlines.

The authorities should also thoroughly assess social service institutions for any threats of natural disasters and potential failure of drainage systems, and improve their plans to cope with floods, the notice said.

They should also launch emergency responses immediately after floods occur, evacuate those who live in such institutions in good time and do their best to prevent casualties, and ensure that the institutions get through floods safely, according to the notice.

Local civil affairs authorities should cooperate with emergency response departments to establish an emergency response system to help NGOs better participate in disaster relief efforts, including psychological counseling and reconstruction work, the notice said.

Rescue and reconstruction

The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters has issued a notice that orders governments at various levels to strengthen the detection of risks and the evacuation of personnel during the flood season, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management.

The notice said authorities should formulate and conduct detailed evacuation plans and swiftly evacuate people threatened by floods, especially seniors, children, the sick, the disabled and groups classified as underprivileged.
The authorities should also provide accurate forecasts and alerts about precipitation, floods, landslides and typhoons.

They should also ensure that all village residents receive alerts immediately they are issued.

In addition, the notice asked authorities to better prepare emergency supplies and strengthen patrols and rescue work.

The authorities should also organize round-the-clock patrols of levees that are subject to threats of flooding, along with small and medium-sized reservoirs and urban areas that can easily become waterlogged in the event of severe rainstorms.

The authorities should also better coordinate government and nongovernmental rescue teams and carefully devise reconstruction plans, the notice said.

The ministry July 16 said it has dispatched 37 helicopters to 19 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities so they can patrol levees, repair those damaged by floods, and transport related supplies.

On the central government distributed 10,000 life jackets and 200 handheld searchlights to authorities in Sichuan province as a way to support their efforts in tackling the floods, according to the ministry.