The State Council, China's cabinet, on Wednesday passed a plan for urban and rural development of southwestern Chongqing Municipality until 2020.

The plan mainly aims to strengthen Chongqing's role as a central city in the southwest and promote overall, balanced and sustained development of the Three Gorges reservoir area.

Future growth of Chongqing will be based on balanced development of urban and rural areas, better protection of its cultural and ecological environment and proper use of its natural resources, according to the plan.

Presiding the meeting, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said Chongqing should protect its arable land, improve its infrastructure, plan for economic growth and environmental protection, and open up its construction and management to public scrutiny.

The development environment in Chongqing had changed greatly due to the Three Gorges project and the massive population relocation, according to the State Council.

The State Council also passed draft regulations on emergency rescue for and investigations into railway accidents and discussed draft regulations on energy conservation in civil buildings

It was decided that the regulations on energy conservation shall be published to invite inputs from the public.

(Xinhua News Agency June 28, 2007)