Premier Wen
Jiabao urged local governments to care more for ordinary
people, especially those with low incomes and those who have been
laid off, and to ensure that everyone has a warm winter.
On hearing Beijing's heating plan for the coming winter on
Sunday, Wen said local governments should work hard to provide
adequate heating to all households by ensuring adequate coal and
gas supply.
During a conversation with Fu Deqing, a laid-off grain officer,
Wen asked him about his allowances, children's tuition fees and
whether he had enough briquets for the winter.
?After Fu gave positive answers to all questions, Wen
demanded accompanying Beijing officials to earnestly implement
measures on reemployment by developing service-related,
labor-intensive enterprises and creating more job opportunities for
the unemployed.
He also wanted local officials to offer more vocational training
and improve social security for laid-off workers and their
kids.
After visiting two households in Qianmen, a centuries-old
district that is crowded with often shabby houses, Wen said the
government was confident of improving living conditions.
"We'll speed up housing construction for low-income families and
devote more efforts to resolving the housing difficulties of people
in need," he said.
(Xinhua News Agency November 8, 2004)