Announcement of China~^!!^s Medium-Sized Cities Development Project on January 8, 1991 : Announcement of China's Medium-Sized Cities Development Project on January 8, 1991

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ItWorld Bank 1818 H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20433, U.S.A. * Telephone: (202) 477-1234 BAN NEWS RELEASE NO. 91/37 Contact: Richard Kollodge IM NEWS RELEASE NO. 91/39 Tel: (202) 473-1792 CHINA: MEDIUM-SIZED CITIES DEVELOPMENT PROJECT Following are details of a project approved by the World Bank's Board: DATE APPROVED: January 8, 1991 WORLD BANK GROUP SUPPORT: IDA CREDIT: $89 million, IBRD LOAN: $79.4 million. TOTAL PROJECT COST: $277.2 million. OTHER FINANCING: Municipal governments, utilities, and households, $68.8 million; industrial firms, $40 million. IMPLEMENTING AGENCIES: Changzhou Municipal People's Government, Changzhou, Jiangsu, China, Telex: 361019, Contact: Mr. Hong Wenxin, Deputy Mayor; Louyang Municipal People's Government, Louyang, Henan, China, Telex: 473023, Contact: Mr. Bai Guangdi, Deputy Mayor; Shashi Municipal People's Government, Shashi, Hubei, China, Telex: 40144, Contact: Mr. Zhao Zusu, Deputy Mayor ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: 1997 PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The objective of the Medium-Sized Cities Development Project is to improve living conditions in the cities of Changzhou, Louyang, and Shashi by linking comprehensive planning with reforms that improve the use of existing facilities and provide more appropriate financing mechanisms for urban development. The specific objectives are to: (a) improve planning for each city as a whole, as well as across and within sectors; (b) increase efficiency in the use and management of existing facilities; (c) strengthen resource mobilization; (d) support expansion of economic activity; and (e) promote prudent management of environmental resources. The project includes investments to: (a) strengthen centers for urban planning and management and geographic information to improve data collection, analysis, and dissemination; (b) improve standards for teacher/student facilities, upgrade buildings and educational equipment, and technical assistance for teachers and administrators; (c) improve health service delivery and upgrade the qualifications of health workers in hospitals, maternal and child health units, and disease prevention stations; (d) improve links between transport development and projected demand and support investments in roads, public transport, traffic management, and technical assistance; (e) provide measures to encourage cost recovery and conservation in the water and sewerage sector and construct infrastructure to expand water supply and distribution, as well as sewerage facilities; (f) implement national housing reforms to reduce subsidies and move toward market-based allocation of housing units; (g) provide subloans for upgrading technology in selected local enterprises on the basis of municipal strategies for industrial development; and (h) undertake an experimental pollution control component in two cities to assist industries achieve prescribed standards for water quality discharge (finance purchase of pollution-control equipment and associated minor civil works).