WB Loan Helps Poor Area Build RoadsRoads built with World Bank (WB) loans have brought hope for prosperity to people living in a poor area in north China.Six roads with a total length of 204 kilometers have been built in a poor mountainous area of Shanxi province, where transportation has long been a headache. Some 250,000 people in the area will benefit from the new roads. Yuncheng, a city in the southern part of Shanxi Province, close to the Yellow River, has received 1.196 billion yuan (about US$144 million) in WB loans since 1996. With coordinated investment from governments at various levels, Yuncheng has made use of the loans and investment to fight poverty by developing agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, fishing, electricity generation and farm product processing. For example, a plant processing dehydrated vegetables now makes 10 million yuan in profits annually. Besides, it provides employment for over 1,000 local women. |
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