[Authoritative Release · At the Autonomous Region's Regular Press Conference]

"Adhere to the people-centered development philosophy," "adopt more measures that benefit and warm the hearts of the people"... At the National Two Sessions, the Government Work Report made key arrangements for effectively safeguarding and improving people's livelihood.

Echoing the National Two Sessions, on March 8 the Information Office of the Autonomous Region People's Government held a press conference on the Autonomous Region's 2024 Ten Livelihood Projects—ten projects, each focused on public concerns and each tied to the interests of the people.

Adding to the happiness of the people and warming their lives. What exactly are this year's ten livelihood projects? What benefits will the people enjoy? How will these projects be truly delivered and delivered well? At the press conference, responsible officials of relevant units provided answers.

Solid Work and Hard Effort

All Tasks Fully Completed on Schedule

In 2023, the construction of subsidized housing completed the full-year target four months ahead of schedule; the number of days with good air quality in the eight cities (counties) of the "Urumqi–Changji–Shihezi" region increased by 109 days year on year; coordinating funds from various sources totaling 346 million yuan, 119 community day-care centers for the elderly were newly built or renovated in 57 counties and urban districts across the region's 14 prefectures and cities... At the press conference, the weighty 2023 livelihood report card was heartening and inspiring.

The annual targets and tasks for all livelihood projects were fully completed on schedule, and each solemn commitment has been transformed into tangible livelihood benefits that the people can see and feel. Behind this is the determination that promises must be kept and actions must produce results, and even more, a pure heart devoted entirely to the people.

"Since the 2023 livelihood projects were determined, the main leaders of the autonomous region government personally arranged and deployed them, made a public commitment in the Government Work Report delivered at the ** session of the 14th People's Congress of the Autonomous Region, and accepted supervision by the people of the whole region," said Zhou Xuyong, member of the Party Leadership Group and Secretary-General of the Autonomous Region People's Government.

——Formulated and issued the Work Plan for Advancing the Autonomous Region's 2023 Livelihood Projects, breaking the ten livelihood projects down into 38 work measures, assigning responsibilities to 16 departments and units of the autonomous region, and listing them among the key tasks and key supervision matters for 2023;

——Relevant departments defined timetables and road maps, tightened responsibilities, raised and secured funds, and issued work tasks in a timely manner. They strengthened investigation and research, established coordination and linkage mechanisms and regular scheduling mechanisms, and promptly tracked and coordinated solutions to difficulties and problems arising during implementation of the livelihood projects;

——Prefectures and cities played their principal role, forming a working mechanism in which prefectures take overall charge, counties and cities implement, and departments cooperate; they strengthened communication and coordination with relevant autonomous region departments, enhanced prefecture-county linkage, actively secured funds, improved working mechanisms, and organized implementation according to plan...

Departments at all levels throughout the region deeply understood the close connection between development and stability, development and livelihood, and development and popular support, strengthened the drive to act, formed a synergy for action, confronted difficulties head-on, and vigorously pursued implementation, striving through practical action to solve the interest-related problems of greatest concern, most direct relevance, and most practical reality for people of all ethnic groups, and honoring the solemn commitment made to the people of the whole region.

Scientific Decision-Making

Solving Old Problems and Responding to New Needs

The report of the 20th National Congress of the Party emphasized that we must uphold safeguarding and improving people's livelihood in the course of development, encourage joint efforts to create a better life, and continuously realize the people's aspiration for a better life. Last August, when General Secretary Xi Jinping listened to work reports from the autonomous region Party committee and government and the XPCC, he emphasized increasing efforts in economic development and livelihood improvement.

The autonomous region Party committee and government regard grassroots governance and livelihood safeguards as foundational projects for promoting common prosperity and building a high-quality life, keeping them firmly in mind and constantly in hand. On the basis of fully completing the 2023 ten livelihood projects, leading cadres at all levels continuously improved their abilities in investigation and research, grasping policies, advancing work, and connecting with the people, and scientifically determined the 2024 ten livelihood projects, ensuring that each project truly resonates with the people.

"Starting in October last year, the autonomous region people's government launched the collection and screening of 2024 livelihood projects, learned from the experience of other provinces and cities, conducted research in depth in prefectures (cities) and counties (cities, districts), carried out preliminary surveys and connections and cultivated reserves, laying a solid foundation for doing the 2024 livelihood projects well," Zhou Xuyong introduced. To improve the scientific nature of decision-making, the autonomous region Party committee and government solicited opinions and suggestions widely from all sectors of society through online platforms such as People's Daily Online, Shiliuyun, the portal website of the autonomous region people's government, and the Xinjiang Government Service Network, as well as the 12345 government service convenience hotline. On the basis of fully asking the people about their needs, asking the people for advice, and asking the people about governance, they analyzed, sorted out, and carefully studied the suggestions, submitted them to professional institutions for assessment and demonstration, and proposed suggestions for the 2024 livelihood projects. After study at meetings of the autonomous region Party committee and government, the autonomous region's 2024 ten livelihood projects were finally determined.

In line with the principle of tackling one project after another and working year after year, the determination of the 2024 ten livelihood projects adhered to both continuity and expansion. There are matters for consolidation, improvement, and sustained effort, extensions and quality and efficiency improvements of last year's livelihood projects, and new matters actively responding to the demands of the people.

For example, continuing to advance air environment improvement in the "Urumqi–Changji–Shihezi" region, further reducing emissions by 5 percent this year on the basis of consolidating a 26 percent reduction by key enterprises; while continuing to do well in matters such as "one-network handling" and "joint handling of related matters," this year added convenience-to-people and benefit-to-enterprises measures such as advancing "transfer with existing mortgage" for residential real estate; and on the basis of solving the "elderly" issue well, and based on the health demands of the "young," implementing eye care and dental care actions for primary and secondary school students and rehabilitation assistance for children with disabilities.

"All of this fully reflects the characteristic of the autonomous region's 2024 ten livelihood projects of both solving old problems and responding to new needs," Zhou Xuyong said.

Courageous and Persistent Action

Ensuring Projects Are Done Well and Good Deeds Are Done Solidly

The great way is simple; action is what matters. Improving people's livelihood is a long-term, systematic, arduous, and complex undertaking. Whether livelihood projects can be implemented in practice concerns not only whether the people's aspiration for a better life can be realized, but also the Party's cohesion among people of all ethnic groups.

Comprehensively advancing the expansion project of the natural gas pipeline benefiting the people in southern and northern Xinjiang; advancing the construction of earthquake-resistant housing in urban and rural areas; actively assisting and ensuring employment for disadvantaged groups... The autonomous region's 2024 ten livelihood projects both emphasize inclusiveness and coverage and take into account fairness, feasibility, and timeliness.

Every family has children, and everyone will grow old. The "elderly and young" concern millions of households. This year, our region will establish a reward and subsidy mechanism for elderly meal assistance services, build 10,000 elderly meal assistance service points according to local conditions, carry out age-friendly renovation for 10,000 households with special difficulties and elderly members, and build 100 township (subdistrict) regional elderly care service centers and community day-care centers for the elderly.

Wang Wenqi, member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director of the Autonomous Region Department of Civil Affairs, said that at present the department, together with the autonomous region Department of Finance, Development and Reform Commission, and other departments, has secured more than 200 million yuan of various funds at the autonomous region level to support project construction. It will also attract more social forces to participate in elderly care services and provide elderly care services that are convenient and accessible, affordable in price, and guaranteed in quality.

Our region for the first time included the implementation of eye care and dental care actions for primary and secondary school students among the autonomous region's ten livelihood projects. Hailati, member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director of the Autonomous Region Department of Education, said that this year our region will complete the renovation of healthy lighting equipment in 20,000 primary and secondary school classrooms, carry out regular vision monitoring for primary and secondary school students throughout the region, and establish electronic student vision health records. Health departments will carry out two rounds of local oral fluoride application for 310,000 children aged 3–4 in 96 counties (cities, districts) across the region, and provide ** permanent molar pit and fissure sealing services for students aged 6–9 in 20 counties (cities, districts). Departments such as the autonomous region Department of Education and Health Commission will strengthen coordination and liaison, establish cooperation mechanisms, formulate specific work plans, and fully guide all localities in advancing project implementation and achieving results.

"In order to do the projects well and do good deeds solidly, the autonomous region Party committee and government will set reverse schedules and conduct operations with charts for this year's ten livelihood projects, urge implementation, and deliver a satisfactory answer sheet to the people of all ethnic groups in the region," Zhou Xuyong said.