The on-the-spot meeting of promoting the small town construction in the Shigatse Prefecture of Tibet is held at the Naiqing Village of Gongma Township, Kamba County on Oct. 15, 2013. [Photo/China Tibet Online]

Since 2011, the Shigatse Prefecture of Tibet has focused on the urbanization construction, taking various measures to promote the construction of small towns and accelerating the urbanization process.

The government of Shigatse Prefecture has planed ahead based on each county's traffic location, natural resources, historic culture, and folk customs, while send relevant personnel to the inland to learn experience of the characteristic economy and competitive industries development for many times. The experts are also invited to have field visits. In 2013 alone, the Shigatse Prefecture has invested 46 million yuan (about 7.5 million U.S dollars) to construct the Sagya ancient town, the west Saga post and the whole Kamba County.

Speaking of the importance of planning in the small town development, Tenzin Namgyal, deputy director of the NPC of Tibet Autonomous Region and Shigatse Prefecture Party committee secretary, said: "There are large differences between the urban and rural areas in Shigatse, while its ecological environment is fragile, therefore, we should first make good planning, and then strengthen the construction of public infrastructure as well as develop the industrial planning. The government needs a wide range of expert opinions, while respects the folk customs and improve the authority and nationality of the planning."

Photo shows the orderly planned Naiqing Village of Gongma Township, which belongs to the Kamba County of Shigatse Prefecture, Tibet. [Photo/China Tibet Online]

A series of effective measures have brought a rapid development for the small town construction in Shigatse Prefecture. Shigatse has now basically completed the urban system and distinctive urbanization development layout.

"Each county of the Shigatse Prefecture will focus on creating three to four central towns and key towns in the future three years. Except for the county town, we should do our best to develop over 20 key towns with concentrated population, comprehensive function and substantial income through two to three years. We should try our best to achieve an urbanization rate of over 50 percent," said Tenzin Namgyal on the on-the-spot meeting of promoting the small town construction in the Shigatse Prefecture. In addition, the Shigatse Prefecture will construct a good number of small towns with distinctive characteristics in the light of local conditions.

Along with advancement of the small town construction in the Shigatse Prefecture, the gap between urban and rural areas will decrease obviously, the public service facilities including employment, housing, education and medical treatment will be further perfected, thus the common people's life will be more and more convenient and comfortable.