Shanxi has set 30 major tasks for the “new urbanization drive” this year in the North China province.

The tasks cover elevating urbanization levels, enhancing basic public services, building infrastructure and protecting the environment and resources, particularly focusing on letting more rural residents live in urban areas and improving preschool and compulsory education.

The province strives to help 54.06 percent of its permanent resident population and 34.01 percent of residents with Shanxi hukou become urban residents this year.

The province aims to build an urbanization framework based on “one core, one circle and three clusters”.

The core of the urban system in the province is the Taiyuan metropolitan area composed of urban districts in Taiyuan, Shanxi’s capital city, Jinzhong city, Qingxu county seat and Yangqu county seat.

The Taiyuan metropolitan circle is based on densely populated areas in the Taiyuan Basin, including 30 counties or county-level cities under Taiyuan, Jinzhong, Luliang, Yangquan and Xinzhou.

The three urban clusters located in northern, southern and southeastern Shanxi are based on urban areas of Datong and Shuozhou, Linfen and Yuncheng, and Changzhi and Jincheng.

There are plans to improve employability skills for migrant workers, build a unified insurance system for urban and rural residents and improve the rural system of medical insurance.

Tasks in fundamental public and infrastructure services are to advance the development of preschool and compulsory education, boost housing security, promote public transport, and accelerate the construction of traffic, water supply, air supply, and heat supply network.

Tasks for environmental resources include approving projects for wind and photovoltaic power generation, start putting up green buildings, reinforce air pollution prevention, and boost land reform.