Beijing city planning to benefit migrant population

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2008-08/02/content_6899143.htm
(Xinhua)Updated: 2008-08-02 16:51

The needs of the growing numbers of migrant workers in Beijing have been taken into account for the first time by city planners looking to improve the livability of China's capital.

Tan Xuxiang, the Beijing Municipal Commission of Urban Planning deputy director, told a press conference in Beijing on Friday the city had included migrant workers when estimating future population, planning infrastructure and housing projects.

The city planned to cover migrant workers by initiating them into housing projects built for low-income population, he said.

As the national capital and Olympic Games host city, Beijing was currently attracting many migrant workers for its fast infrastructure development, Tan said. "These people, mostly from rural areas, are building the city and may become its permanent residents, which is a way of urbanization."
The number of permanent residents has continued to increase. Last year, 520,000 people moved to Beijing.

"The number has been between 400,000 and 500,000 annually in the past few years," he said. "It's a huge number and great challenge for the city infrastructure."

"We have to figure out solutions for the increasing population." The city government aimed to keep the population under 18 million by 2020. Currently, it stands at 16.33 million, according to the local government.
One solution is to restructure the city's industrial framework. The high-tech industry and service sector fit in the city's development but manufacturing has to develop at an appropriate speed in a bid to avoid overcrowding of people in a small area, he said.

The city was also trying to foster satellite towns to divert newcomers from the downtown. In 2003, about 2.2 million people were living in 10 satellite towns around Beijing.

"We expect the number will increase to 5.7 million (in satellite towns) in 2020. The city will have a balanced layout of population," Tan added.
In addition, the city had also sought cooperation with the neighboring Tianjin municipality and Hebei Province in this field. A grander urban development plan covering three regions was issued early this year.
"With so many people moving in, Beijing also has to improve its management and service to new residents," he said.
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(My comment: very interesting! Will keep an eye on how it further develops, and if other cities are thinking the same thing.
Also, many more questions to be answered: what's the detailed planning process? How will migrants really benefit from affordable housing? What's the procedure of migrant applying for those units? What is the implications of improved housing conditions for other aspects of migrant life, such as education and health care? Would this become a circular process and attrack more migration? How would the government handle it then?)

國土部官員密集換班 推特殊政策落實保經濟

http://chinareviewnews.net/doc/1008/1/6/6/100816636.html?coluid=45&kindid=0&docid=100816636&mdate=1202091349

2008-12-02 09:13:49


　　中評社北京12月2日電／據國土資源部官方網站消息，該部涉及土地的多個業務司局近期密集換班，多個業務專、熟悉一線情況的官員調任涉及土地的業務司局正副司長。

　　《21世紀經濟報道》報道，根據國土資源部有關任免通知，規劃司原司長胡存智調任總規劃師，其規劃司長職位由國家土地督察成都局局長董祚繼擔任。中國地質博物館原館長劉隨臣任新設的調控和監測司司長。國土資源部中國土地礦產法律事務中心主任張婉麗任調控和監測司巡視員。

　　另外，耕地保護司、土地利用管理司、地籍管理司等涉及土地的業務司均有新任副司長，一直對房地產話題多有評論的土地利用司副司長束克欣免職。

　　中國社科院城市發展和環境研究中心主任牛鳳瑞評論稱，多個具有一線工作經驗的“新人”擔任土地業務司局主管官員，有利於今後土地政策制定和土地管理工作更結合實際，服務於實際。

　　落實國務院刺激經濟政策，保障土地供應是當前國土部工作重點。牛鳳瑞等專家預測，一批新土地政策將隨著這些土地業務司局官員履新陸續出台，將有利於在保護耕地的前提下，協調解決保護耕地和保證經濟發展之間的矛盾。

落實大部制改革

　　一位接近國土資源部的人士表示，“這是部裡落實大部制改革作出的人事調整。”“大部制”改革中，國土資源部被賦予承擔優化國土資源配置職能，突出其資源性資產的管理職能。另外，國土資源部的土地規劃、管理、調控職能被大大加強，新設了調控與監測司。

對於此次人事變動，最引人注目的是新任規劃司司長董祚繼。其任國家土地督察成都局局長之前就曾是規劃司副司長，2006年成立國家土地督察局時，任成都局局長。兩年在地方一線工作的歷練，董祚繼深知地方在土地規劃、報批中的“運作”，其上任規劃司司長，獲將制定更有針對性的保護耕地和防止地方政府突擊用地的政策，防堵疏漏。

國土調控或更趨靈活 　　

在國土部新任土地司局官員中，新成立的調控與監測司同樣備受關注。新任調控與監測司司長的劉隨臣此前一直在礦產口工作，熟悉對礦產資源管理政策。在土地利用總體規劃完成後，國土資源部目前正在進行國土資源規劃的編制工作，該部規劃將土地和礦產資源統籌為國土資源進行規劃，強調其長期、戰略性安排。 　　

此次調任調控與監測司巡視員的張婉麗原來所在的國土資源部法律中心是土地調控政策制定、實施的智囊部門，其本人在土地監測、土地調控政策有效性、差別化土地調控政策等多個土地調控領域均有建樹。 　　

例如，在2007年土地和房價狂飆的時期，張婉麗主持下的法律中心果斷開展了“外資進入房地產”、“開發商囤地”、“土地流拍分析”等多個熱點話題的調研。 　　

前述接近國土資源部的人士說，土地參與宏觀調控的基礎性工作都是法律中心在做，而土地市場動態監測系統是張婉麗主持搭建起來的。 　　

劉隨臣和張婉麗等一批調控和監測司官員履新，或許會帶來一些土地調控的新動向。 　　

中國人民大學管理學院土地系教授嚴金明此前在國土資源部網站訪談中表示，當前保經濟增長的前提下，國土政策可以適當微調。例如，在2009年和2010年的土地利用計劃上，要作出相應的調整安排，要保障中央確定的拉動內需需要的用地指標。 　　

一批新的官員面對新的經濟、土地局勢必將有新的動作。

國土部推特殊政策落實保經濟 中央項目可申請先行用地 　　

另據東方早報報道，為優先保證中央新增千億投資項目所需用地，國土資源部力推沒有先例的特殊政策。 　　

國土資源部昨天發布消息稱，已在近期印發《國土資源部關於為擴大內需促進經濟平穩較快發展做好服務和監管工作的通知》(下稱《通知》)，列出七項舉措落實全國促進經濟發展行動。其中強調，列入新增1000億中央投資計劃清單的項目申請用地預審時，在完成初步設計、確保征地補償安置落實到位的前提下，可申請先行用地。 　　

昨天，國土資源部召開電視電話會議，國土資源部部長徐紹史表示，新增中央投資計劃以及所帶動的大量社會項目即將在短期內激增，對土地和礦產資源的需求強勁。各級國土資源部門要加大對新增中央投資計劃項目的支持力度，確保項目及時合理用地。他要求各級國土資源部門“找准切入點、加快審批、及時供地”。