Elimination of household registration barriers suggested

The government should gradually tear down household registration obstacles to facilitate the orderly migration of people from rural to urban areas, according to a report on urbanization development delivered Wednesday.

The report was delivered by Xu Shaoshi, head of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), at an ongoing four-day bimonthly session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), the top legislature.

The household registration system splits China's 1.3 billion people into rural and non-rural residents, preventing rural migrants living in cities from enjoying the same social welfare as urbanites.

The report said priority should be given to turning migrant workers into urban citizens and offering them and their relatives equal access to urban public services.

According to official statistics, 25.05 million rural people obtained urban household registrations from 2010 to 2012.

The report cited several urbanization-related problems, including the inefficient use of urban land and restrained resources and environmental capacities in cities.

Xu said some cities have developed their economies at the expense of environmental protection and social service.

"Some cities are plagued by traffic gridlock, deteriorating air and water quality and dilapidated buildings," Xu said.

China's urbanization rate stood at 52.27 percent in 2012, according to the report.