Sci-Tech projects that aim to boost the sustainable development of Shenzhen will be able to receive advance subsidies of up to 8 million yuan (US$1.12 million), Shenzhen Economic Daily reported Thursday.

The city’s administrative measures on special sci-tech projects for sustainable development officially came into force Wednesday.

According to the measures, the subsidy for each project will be given per the content of the project, assessment indicators including economic, academic and technical indicators, as well as the actual R&D needs. The implementation period of each project is three years.

On Feb. 13, 2018, the State Council approved establishing a national innovation demonstration zone for sustainable development in Shenzhen. A month later, Shenzhen issued its sustainable development plan (2017-2030) and relevant schemes.

Over the past two years, Shenzhen has carried out a series of successful practices in sustainable development, especially in the fields of environment protection and social governance.

According to statistics, a total of 4,500 residential areas and urban villages in the city underwent sewage pipeline renovation last year.

The water quality of the city’s rivers has also been significantly improved, with polluted and odorous bodies of water being completely eliminated, making Shenzhen one of the cities with the most obvious improvement in water environment in China.