The Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and the State Council concluded the annual central rural work conference on Sunday, and decided on a slew of key tasks in the country's rural development in the coming year.

Rural development remained the hardcore of the government's major tasks in 2008, the two-day conference was told. Following are the key resolutions reached during the meeting:

-- China would enhance rural infrastructure construction, promote stable development of agriculture and facilitate a sustained income growth for farmers next year.

-- The government would continue to draw up preferential policies to build up the strength of the agriculture sector and benefit the farmers. Investment into the agricultural sector and the rural areas would be boosted "by a large margin."

-- Investment into the agricultural sector from the fiscal revenue would be raised to "a markedly higher level than a year earlier". Fixed assets investment into the rural areas would be elevated again to "a markedly higher level than last year".

-- Direct subsidies for farmers would be raised, as well as that for major grain production regions. Investment into the animal-borne disease control efforts would be increased.

-- The government would give a prominence to agricultural infrastructure construction next year in order to improve production facilities in rural areas. They include the construction of irrigation facilities and reinforcement work for old and hazardous reservoirs.

-- It pledges more efforts to promote the use of machines in agricultural production. The government will also continue to boost education and medicare services in rural areas.

-- The minimum subsistence allowances would be expanded to cover more rural population, and poverty reduction would get more support from the government.

-- The government would invest more to improve rural infrastructure facilities, such as safe water supply, power grid projects and public transport system.

-- The country vowed to safeguard the land use right of farmers and asked for stricter rules for land confiscation.

-- The country would improve financial services in rural areas.

(Xinhua News Agency December 24, 2007)