On the eve of the Spring Festival, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) issued several 2018 central budget investment plans in quick succession. These cover railway projects in the central and western regions, universal postal service infrastructure projects in western and rural areas, rural poverty-alleviation roads, rural power grid upgrading and renovation projects, and the construction of high-grade inland waterways such as the Yangtze River. The plans are aimed at addressing key construction issues in the central and western regions and rural areas, and further promoting rural revitalization and poverty alleviation.
Among them, the 2018 central budget investment plan for central and western railway projects focuses on supporting railway projects in the central and western regions that are of great significance for promoting coordinated regional economic and social development, improving transport conditions, and enhancing people's well-being. The 2018 central budget investment plan for universal postal service infrastructure in western and rural areas is used for renovating postal outlets in western and rural areas and purchasing vehicles for universal service operations. The 2018 central budget investment plan for rural poverty-alleviation roads is used for rural poverty-alleviation road construction in nine provinces including Yunnan, Sichuan, and Guizhou. The first batch of the 2018 central budget investment plan for rural power grid renovation is used for rural power grid upgrading and renovation projects in the central and western regions. The first batch of the 2018 central budget investment plan for the construction of high-grade inland waterways such as the Yangtze River is used for projects including the waterway regulation of the Qichun waterway in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River.