The Shaanxi government is planning to relocate 2.79 million people from poor and disaster-hit areas over the next decade in a bid to reduce danger from natural disasters such as floods, landslides and mudslides.
Under the mammoth migration project, 2.4 million residents from three cities in southern Shaanxi and 392,000 from northern parts will be moved out, twice the number of migrants moved during the Three Gorges Dam migration program.
Shaanxi, located on the Loess Plateau, is one of the main geohazard provinces in China, with the Qin-Ba Mountain Area in the south the worst-hit region.
Geologically, 49% of the province is prone to disasters. Ankang, Hanzhong and Shangluo in the south are the most common victims of mountain torrents, landslides and mudslides.
Big floods in 2010 reportedly destroyed many villages in Ankang, affecting about 5.59 million people, with more than 300 missing or dead.
The relocation therefore has become of a matter of great urgency.
"It is quite distressing to see 20 people in a village being swallowed by a flood," recalled Zhao Zhengyong, the provincial governor, adding that "residents in southern Shaanxi have to be moved into safe and convenient places. This is a promise from the government."
In February this year, the Shaanxi government adopted and promulgated two resettlement plans, according to which "new villages will be built, modern agriculture will be promoted and poverty alleviation projects will be launched."
Estimates reveal that the migration projects in southern and northern Shaanxi will cost 111 billion yuan ($17 billion) and 5 billion yuan ($773 million) respectively.
By now, the government has already invested 1 billion yuan ($155 million) as seed money. On March 24, the Baiyu Mountain Area in the north started relocation. On May 6, migration in Hanbin, Ankang also commenced.
Provincial subsidies, local funding and money from residents have also contributed to the resettlement capital. But "financial pressure is still very big," said Lei Erhu, governor of Luonan County, Shangluo.
To raise more money, Shaanxi has chosen to cooperate with big state-owned energy enterprises and establish resettlement companies jointly.
Together with Shenhua Group, a large diversified energy company, governments in northern Shaanxi successfully scooped in 2.2 billion yuan ($340 million).
"By doing so, we can speed up the relocation and lighten the burden to residents. This is an innovative practice in both poverty alleviation and resettlement projects. Meanwhile, the state-owned enterprises are also carrying out their social responsibilities," said a local official.
