Services put public first in Shenyang

Government reforms aimed at resolving issues related to people's everyday lives

Shenyang in Northeast China's Liaoning province is undertaking a program of public service reform to ensure it is effectively and directly addressing issues that are most closely related to everyday lives.

Containing 107 measures, the program aims to tackle 74 problems in fields including education, elderly care, social security, public transport, medical services and employment, according to Lnd, a news website operated by Liaoning Daily.

To make school admissions fairer, all 33 private primary schools and junior middle schools in Shenyang enrolled students through random selection in August. No school shall have their own admission arrangements, Lnd reported on Aug 12.

In addition, Shenyang will select 100 high-quality primary and junior middle schools and pair them up with schools in rural areas in order to accelerate the integrated development of urban and rural education.

Cultural services are another focus of the program, which specifies that Shenyang will build cultural service centers and squares for sports and cultural activities across its districts, communities, counties and villages. Each square will cover at least 800 square meters, according to Lnd.

Its facilities for cultural purposes will get a makeover in both hardware and services in accordance with standards set out by the government. All the libraries and cultural centers run by the government in Shenyang will open to the public free of charge.

Shenyang residents will also be able to "order" cultural services according to their specific needs or preferences. These services include Chinese opera performances, free training sessions and reading activities.

To better take care of its older residents, Shenyang will build 100 home care service centers by the end of this year. Each center will be able to offer services to seniors from one to two residential compounds in its proximity, Lnd reported. These centers will be able to help seniors with daily activities such as eating meals, bathing and house cleaning. Medical services, companion care, psychological consultation and emergency services will be also available.

Shenyang will also pilot a program where the government purchases 30-45 hours of home care services every month for seniors with physical limitations or dementia from low-income households and those affected by the family planning policy.

The Shenyang bureau of civil affairs will also provide a one-off subsidy between 40,000-60,000 yuan ($5,790-$8,680) to graduates who choose to work on the front line of care delivery.

The Shenyang bureau of human resources and social security will also make life easier for pensioners by developing a mobile app for oldage pension services in collaboration with banks and other institutions.

The app is expected to be up and running by the end of November, according to Lnd.

By the end of the year, Shenyang will also hold 150 career fairs for college graduates, workers from rural areas and people having difficulties finding work.