Central China provinces should achieve remarkable economic progress by 2015, according to a plan passed by the State Council Wednesday.

The central areas involve Shanxi, Anhui, Jiangxi, Henan, Hubei and Hunan provinces, according to the State Council's executive meeting chaired by Premier Wen Jiabao.

These are the country's major grain output bases, energy raw materials production areas, equipment manufacturing centers and transport hubs, according to the meeting.

The layout stresses efforts to promote modern agriculture, energy raw materials, equipment manufacturing and high technology in the central areas.

Traffic resources will be optimized and economic zones will be formed along the Yangtze River and major railway trunks running through central China.

The plan also stresses green economy, farmland protection and water-use efficiency.

More efforts will be spent on education, cultural and sports undertakings, public health services, social security and other reforms in the provinces, according to the plan.

(Xinhua News Agency September 24, 2009)