The golden age began in 1977

Chapter 364 Special Working Group for Improving Urban Living Environment

"After listening to what you all just said, I feel very heavy-hearted and uneasy."

Zheng Guodong began to speak.

Everyone sat up straight, waiting for the big boss to make the decision.

“The things that Comrade Liu Ping, Comrade Sun Danian and the comrades on Songshan Road said are facts. They are the embarrassments, inconveniences and even pain and humiliation that ordinary people experience every day.”

“These things are happening in our new socialist city, right under our noses as public servants. Is this normal? Is this reasonable? Are we worthy of the five words ‘serving the people’?”

He spoke very slowly.

This is the art of leadership speaking—making every word resonate in the hearts of the attendees:

"Comrade Qian Jin and his construction team members are highly conscious. They saw the problems and volunteered to put aside their personal interests to solve these pain points and difficulties for the people free of charge."

"What kind of spirit is this? This is the simplest and most sincere spirit of serving the people! It is the embodiment of the working class's spirit of being masters of their own destiny. They have taught us a lesson through their actions!"

Zheng Guodong turned his gaze to Han Zhaoxin, his tone questioning: "Comrade Zhaoxin, I believe that the plan proposed by Comrade Qian Jin is entirely correct in its direction."

"It truly grasps a key aspect of improving people's livelihoods in cities, and it's a timely act of kindness."

"I think what ordinary people need is this kind of tangible, real change."

"This kind of 'down-to-earth' project is of great significance. It solves not only the physical space problem of cooking and using the toilet, but also the issues of people's dignity, sense of security, and sense of happiness!"

Han Zhaoxin nodded silently.

At this moment, Zheng Guodong picked up his teacup.

He finished speaking, leaving his partner some room to elaborate.

Han Zhaoxin continued, "That's right. From 'having a place to live' to 'living conveniently' and 'living with dignity,' this is the key step from 'living in peace' to 'living happily.'"

"We must fully support this work!"

The department heads had nothing more to say and could only start packing up their notebooks to prepare for the support work.

Then Han Zhaoxin abruptly changed the subject: "But!"

This "but" made everyone's hearts jump again.

What happened?
The situation has taken a dramatic turn for the better?
"I disagree with the wage issue!" Han Zhaoxin waved his hand.

"The construction workers are highly conscious and want to make selfless contributions, which is great. However, the government cannot let these hardworking people sweat in vain. This is our principle and bottom line."

“I worked as a construction worker when I was young, and I know that this job is not easy. We have to work in all kinds of weather, climb high and low, do the hardest and most tiring work, and earn real money through hard work.”

"They also have parents to support and wives and children to raise. It's unreasonable to make them do voluntary labor. It might be okay once or twice, but it's unrealistic and unfair to insist on it in the long run! This is not in line with the socialist principle of distribution according to work!"

He tentatively looked at Zheng Guodong: "Comrade Guodong, I suggest that the municipal finance department must guarantee the basic income of all members of the construction team who are involved in this 'upgrading of housing' livelihood project."

"Considering the current financial pressure and the special nature of the project, the wage standard can be appropriately adjusted and paid at half the daily wage of construction workers in normal state-owned enterprises, that is, half salary."

"This is not market-based compensation; it is basic respect and necessary protection for their labor! No matter how difficult things are in our city, we must make room for this money."

"The material costs are coordinated by the municipal government, with the urban construction, housing management, and finance departments working together to ensure unified planning, procurement, and allocation. The funds are used for designated purposes only, and the accounts are made public and subject to supervision."

Qian Jin nodded solemnly.

He was well aware that the city government was truly short of funds.

The wages used for repairing old, dilapidated, and dangerous buildings were paid by the city government's finance office using disaster relief budget.

The disaster relief budget wasn't needed for this upgrade of the old house, which is why Qian Jin didn't initially intend to ask for money.

This way, it won't put pressure on the city government or ourselves; if the project works, great, if not, forget about it.

As a result, Han Zhaoxin still cared quite a bit about the team that he personally named "Glorious Labor," and even under the current difficult financial conditions, he still managed to secure half-salary treatment for them.

With this half salary, the construction team can get running.

He wanted to say a few words to express his attitude, but Han Zhaoxin raised his hand to stop him from starting the lesson.

He turned his gaze to the bureau chiefs who had just raised their concerns and said, "The issues you just mentioned, such as planning, property rights, safety, responsibility, and financial burden, are all real and valid problems that cannot be avoided and must be resolved."

“My suggestion is that I personally take charge and establish a ‘Special Working Group for Improving the Urban Living Environment’, which should include all departments such as urban construction, housing management, civil affairs, finance, street offices, trade unions, women’s federations, and the labor shock brigade led by Comrade Qian Jin.”

"The first thing the working group did was to produce a detailed construction plan before the end of the year."

He thought for a moment and then said, "Let's tentatively name it the 'Implementation Plan for the Renovation of Basic Living Facilities for Residents in the Urban Area of ​​Haibin City'."

"There's no rush for the specific construction work. There are still ten days until the New Year. Let's let our comrades rest first. We are not capitalists and we cannot exploit our construction workers."

"In addition, it is not suitable to start construction in the dead of winter. Repairing dilapidated houses was a last resort. If possible, construction workers should be allowed to rest in this cold weather."

"Besides, the New Year is just around the corner. It's not appropriate to dig up old communities in the city and make them full of potholes. People don't want to start construction before the New Year. We need to consider this aspect thoroughly."

"Therefore, I propose that we focus on writing and planning work before the Lunar New Year, and then officially start construction after the Spring Festival!"

Everyone nodded in agreement.

The meeting is now adjourned.

The next day was Sunday. Han Zhaoxin worked overtime, and naturally everyone else had to follow suit. As a result, the special working group for improving the urban living environment was urgently established.

After several meetings in the following days, the "Implementation Plan for the Renovation of Basic Living Facilities (Kitchen and Bathroom) for Urban Residents in Haibin City" proposed by Han Zhaoxin was improved.

The target group for this renovation project was first determined to be residents whose living conditions were extremely difficult and who were genuinely unable to solve their problems on their own.

The priority protection sequence is particularly emphasized for: families of martyrs, families of military personnel, families of disabled veterans, families of municipal or above-level model workers and advanced workers, families of honored veterans, elderly people living alone, and families of severely disabled persons.

Qian Jin may not know much about this, but the resources of the civil affairs authorities can be put to good use.

Han Zhaoxin demanded that a clear, transparent, and workable standard for assessing and prioritizing difficulties be established to avoid the situation where "the squeaky wheel gets the grease" and to prevent favoritism among officials.

Of course, this needs to be publicized and guided in advance.

The old city renovation projects will be announced in the newspapers before the new year, and many families will definitely want to renovate their homes then.

Therefore, Han Zhaoxin arranged for the neighborhood committee, women's federation and publicity department to cooperate and start publicity work early.

Urban renewal is a major project that involves the vital interests of thousands of households. With many people watching it, there will be many troublemakers.

Therefore, the preliminary publicity work is extremely important. It is necessary to explain the policy clearly, especially why these groups are given priority, and to guide the public to understand and support it, so as to avoid new conflicts arising from the mentality of "not worrying about scarcity but worrying about inequality" among citizens.

In this respect, the construction team will benefit.

Han Zhaoxin required all units to prioritize publicizing the dedication of the construction team members, using the power of role models to give the people hope and make them feel that fairness is possible.

In addition, priority be given to these families, especially those living on the first floor with a courtyard or open space available, and those living on the top floor who have the conditions to make renovations in the safe area on the roof.

These families have a higher priority for construction, and Han Zhaoxin requested that the construction team should try its best to create conditions for the construction or renovation of independent kitchens and toilets in the homes or courtyards.

Apart from these families, other residents will not have their kitchens and bathrooms newly built or renovated; instead, public facilities will be upgraded.

After all, the construction team has a total of about 500 people, which sounds like a lot, but it's still not enough for the number of households in the city.

Therefore, for areas with a high concentration of ordinary residents, large-scale in-home renovations will not be carried out. Instead, the focus will be on the standardized renovation and upgrading of existing public kitchens and public toilets.

In response to potential questions from citizens, the working group held a meeting to discuss and clarify the minimum standards for the renovation:
Public kitchens need to address basic issues such as ventilation, fire prevention, and the addition of fixed stoves and faucets.

Public restrooms need to address issues such as lighting, slip resistance, timed flushing, and privacy protection. Qian Jin then suggested adding an accessible facility.

The latter point has not been mentioned by anyone in the country, and there has been no progress even in major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou.

Therefore, many people have raised objections, feeling that it is unnecessary.

But Qian Jin insisted that every public toilet should be renovated to include at least one accessible toilet stall.

As for issues such as property rights and regulations, these were handed over to a specialized department to hold meetings and resolve.

However, the working group has developed a "Provisional Management Measures" for reference.

For renovations carried out within the property rights of private houses, such as the yard on the ground floor or the roof of one's own house, a supplementary contract will be signed after approval to clarify its nature as a "temporary structure for improving people's livelihood".

The increased area is not considered an increase in property area, nor does it change the main structure of the building or the original ownership.

In this way, when houses are expropriated and demolished in the future, the main compensation will still be based on the property ownership certificate, but appropriate compensation will also be given based on the contract, the actual investment and improvement effect.

There are established procedures for resource integration and oversight.

Material procurement is handled centrally by the city government to ensure quality, reduce costs, and eliminate waste.

The use of funds should be open and transparent throughout the entire process, and should be regularly publicized to the working group and resident representatives. Channels for public supervision and reporting should be kept open.

In addition, each subdistrict office is responsible for the preliminary investigation, review, public announcement and organization of the renovation targets in its jurisdiction. This makes the work of the construction team, as the main construction force, relatively simple.

Just a worker!
Before the end-of-year holiday, Qian Jin sent the compiled data to Zheng Guodong.

This matter has a huge impact and definitely requires the support of the top leader.

Zheng Guodong still trusted him.

After reviewing the working group's report, he nodded in satisfaction: "Very comprehensive. You have grasped the core of the problem, taken into account the complexity and systematic nature of this work, and proposed a practical and feasible operational path."

"I completely agree. The construction team can have a proper New Year's celebration. You can start work after the New Year, right?"

Qian Jin said, "We have no problem. The Labor Assault Brigade is under semi-military management. We will fight wherever the city government commands."

Zheng Guodong's smile widened, and he said, "Great, then I will immediately coordinate with various departments to allocate capable personnel to ensure that this old city renovation project can be carried out smoothly."

Finally, he stood up and walked around the desk to pat Qian Jin on the shoulder: "Your construction team has a heavy task because there are many difficulties, but you know without me saying that this matter is of great significance."

"So the municipal government is your backing. You can rest assured and do your job well. Do this practical and good thing that concerns the lives of ordinary people. I won't talk to you about fame and fortune, but you definitely know that this is a good thing that benefits the present and will benefit future generations!"

"I understand, Leader Guodong, we guarantee to complete the mission!" Qian Jin straightened his back abruptly.

Zheng Guodong pointed to his secretary: "During this period, you can directly request his assistance if needed."

"I'll have to go to Beijing to take care of a lot of things after the New Year, so you probably won't be able to find me then. In that case, you can just look for him; he's your secretary too!"

This is similar to the emperor bestowing a sacred sword.

Qian Jin's power has increased significantly now.

It was afternoon when I left the city hall. The sunlight slanted in, casting a golden glow with a faint warmth.

It’s time to celebrate the New Year.

The festive atmosphere of the New Year is starting to become clear.

As he walked down the street, the crackling sounds were incessant; it must be the children on holiday setting off firecrackers again.

The old city renovation project is an important project for the Labor Assault Team next year.

This project not only benefits ordinary people, but also their labor assault team.

Considering their busy schedules, the working group took the lead and contacted water, electricity, and postal departments to renovate the water and electricity systems of villa No. 037 Kunlunshan Road.

The telephone line was installed, the fan was installed, and the boiler was installed too.

The villa had come equipped with a boiler and heating pipes from the beginning, which made things convenient for the labor assault team. After some minor repairs and replacing the boiler with a larger one, the large building began to emit warmth.

Qian Jin had a large office here. When he got back, he told Pang Gongbing, "Summon the leaders of the construction brigade urgently for a leadership meeting." The call was made, and the team quickly assembled.

Qian Jin distributed copies of the working group's report to them: "Take a careful look at the contents and make changes. Don't just eat and drink this year; you need to study more. We'll have a lot of work pressure next year."

"As required by Leader Guodong and General Manager Han, our construction team must start construction after the New Year, and time is very tight."

"This requires us to first draft a demand list internally. Which materials are urgently needed and in large quantities? Bricks, cement, sand and gravel, pipes of various specifications, valves, squat toilets, simple water tanks, in short, you need to hold a meeting to discuss and determine the estimated demand for everything you can think of..."

"And tools, like hole punchers and cutting machines. Lao Ma and Lao Zhang, you need to calculate the tool requirements, see if we need to add any, what we need, and how many, and report back to me as soon as possible."

"In addition, the technical specialties of each squadron must be clearly identified, and masonry, plumbing, and carpentry must be reasonably matched. The list of priority households must also be coordinated with the street in advance."

The group of officials, both senior and junior, all looked down at the documents in their hands.

The stableman silently handed over a small booklet.

Qian Jin lifted it up and saw that it was full of blueprints.

Chen Jingdi said, "These days, we haven't been idle. We've been conducting surveys of public toilets and public kitchens in various streets."

"Many kitchens and toilets have similar structures, so the renovation procedures must also be similar. Therefore, the technical team worked overtime to come up with a renovation plan."

Qian Jin had already figured out the meaning behind these drawings.

A long-term illness makes a good doctor.

He always dealt with people in the construction industry; while he wasn't an expert, he had a general understanding.
"Yes, you've done a very good job."

"Also, Captain Chen, you and the technical team are responsible for summarizing your previous experience in building simple toilets for some families and the experience of Zhen Dalang and his team in the renovation of Xidaguan."

"In particular, we need to compile detailed information on how to dig seepage wells safely and without polluting water sources, and how to lay pipelines in the most economical and effective way. This information will then be distributed to each squadron and even the platoon."

"Technology comes first. As I said before, you can't have a comfortable and easy New Year. You all have to learn new skills!"

The meeting lasted for two hours and covered the initial preparations.

By the time Qian Jin was about to leave the villa office building, dusk was falling and the streetlights were coming on.

The city government has now provided him with a Jeep, so he can be considered a leader with a car now.

The city government originally wanted to arrange for Xiao Sun, who accompanied him to the countryside last year to carry out drought relief work, to be the driver, but Qian Jin refused. Instead, he arranged for Zhang Aijun to be the driver.

Zhang Aijun may not be good at thinking, but he's really good at doing things; he's already mastered driving.

However, the reason why drivers are so valuable these days is that they not only need to know how to drive, but also how to repair cars.

He was lacking in this area, but Qian Jin didn't think it was a big deal, since he had a brother-in-law who was a truck driver.

Zhang Aijun started the jeep, and the old jeep, with its military vehicle lineage, roared powerfully.

The car drove onto the highway and merged into the evening traffic.

Qian Jin rolled down the car window, letting the chilly evening breeze caress his still slightly flushed cheeks.

His gaze swept across the familiar street scenes outside the car window, aimlessly scanning the winter months of 1981.

Under the dim streetlights, pedestrians hurried home, pedaling their bicycles with all their might. Trams, with their long, winding trunks, slowly drove by, and every now and then, passengers would sprint to the platform to catch their trains.

In the crowded alleyway filled with the aroma of food and the smell of coal smoke, children dressed in cotton-padded clothes, trousers and shoes laughed and chatted as they went into the communal kitchen. When they came out, their hands, covered in chilblains, were holding steaming sweet potatoes or steamed buns.

Then, outside the public toilet by the roadside was a layer of yellowish-brown urine, and occasionally someone would come out cursing, probably because they had stepped in feces inside.

Qian Jin slowly rolled up the car window.

After the New Year, everything will change.

The year passed in a flurry of activity.

There were quite a few interesting things happening during this year's Spring Festival.

For example, there was a phenomenon where "the Lunar New Year coincided with the Beginning of Spring".

This situation occurred once before in 1962 and again in 1992.

In addition, the Spring Festival Gala also appeared. Shanghai TV organized the "1981 Spring Festival TV On-Demand Gala" and successfully recorded and broadcast it.

Unfortunately, televisions in the coastal city area cannot receive this channel, so they can only watch the coastal television station's rebroadcast from behind.

Young people weren't really interested in watching Shanghai's Spring Festival Gala because just before the Lunar New Year, the country decided to establish a self-study examination system for higher education.

This means that older young people who didn't get into university before and don't have the opportunity to take the college entrance exam again now have the chance to go to university.

Several people in Qian Jin's family were making preparations, especially his third brother, Qian Lie.

Qian Lie also brought his wife Zhao Xiaohong along to study, and the couple were extremely enthusiastic about self-studying for the college entrance examination.

So much so that during the Lunar New Year, apart from coming to eat the New Year's Eve dinner, they spent the rest of the time studying on their own.

One studied veterinary medicine, and the other studied accounting.

My family was busy with their studies, so the New Year was rather quiet.

Qian Jin doesn't remember much about this year's Spring Festival; all he noticed was that his wife's belly was getting bigger and bigger.

The Haibin City People's Hospital had already performed an ultrasound on her; it was a boy, and everything was normal.

Having power and status means having access to more resources.

Wei Qinghuan can have a prenatal check-up every three to five days without having to go to the hospital; the head of the obstetrics and gynecology department personally comes to her door to provide the service.

This way, Qian Jin won't have to worry about money and can devote himself wholeheartedly to the work of the Approval Committee and the Labor Assault Team.

On the second day of the Lunar New Year, the construction team started work.

Qian Jin held a mobilization meeting in the villa courtyard: "Today is the second day of the Lunar New Year. The New Year is over and a new year has arrived. Everyone knows what we are going to do this year."

"I won't say much more. Our mission is very important and our responsibilities are huge. The city has already set up a working group, and I, your chief commander, will personally take charge. So you can't let me, the commander-in-chief, down!"

A deafening roar erupted, like a tsunami crashing down.

"Will not!"

"Absolutely not!"

"Don't worry, Mr. Qian, we will definitely bring you honor!"

Qian Jin changed his serious expression to a smile. After the audience quieted down, he picked up the megaphone and said again: "Our construction team is the main force in this 'Affordable Housing Upgrade' project."

"I won't waste time with slogans; let's get straight to the point."

"Our priority is to provide support to families of martyrs, military personnel, disabled veterans, model workers, advanced individuals, families of honored individuals, elderly people living alone, and severely disabled individuals who have made contributions to the country, society, and our city or have encountered misfortune."

"Especially for those living on the ground floor with a yard or on the top floor with space, we should try our best to provide them with independent kitchens and toilets so that they can cook quietly and use the toilet peacefully in their own homes, without having to squeeze into public toilets."

The publicity campaign began in earnest before the Lunar New Year.

Each street posted a list of the first batch of families to receive renovations, explaining why these families were chosen first.

The Haibin Daily called on all citizens to learn from the Labor Assault Team.

Because they are the main force of labor, almost none of their families were on the first batch of renovation lists.

Among them were families who met the criteria, but they were removed from the list on behalf of their families to serve as role models.

This was the team members' own choice.

This is the last era in which the working class still values ​​dedication. The workers of the construction brigade still demonstrated the spirit of putting the greater good before their own families, choosing the path of enduring hardship before enjoying happiness.

Of course, Qian Jin also hoped they would do this, not for the sake of empty fame, but because it was unnecessary.

What is the purpose of establishing the construction brigade?
Construction company!

He's going to build a building!

The first batch of buildings will definitely be the workers' new village of the Labor Assault Team. At that time, the families of the construction team members will be given priority in housing allocation.

He estimated that this project would be launched in two or three years at most, and there was no need to go to such lengths to renovate the team members' home residences.

Qian Jin's voice was still amplified through the loudspeaker:
"...Public kitchens and public toilets in other areas also need to be renovated, according to the new standards set by the city!"

"Ventilation, fire prevention, slip prevention, lighting, privacy, accessibility—everything must be done well. It's not just us who are doing it; the water and electricity companies are also doing it, and they need to cooperate with us!"

"So this time is different from before. The rush to finish the work in December made our construction team famous. This time, we want to win the hearts of the people and the respect of our brother units."

"So if we're going to do this job, we have to do it beautifully, in a way that can withstand the scrutiny of the people and the test of time!"

The chicken blood has run out.

Qian Jin began issuing specific orders: "Captain!"

"Here!" Chen Jingdi stepped out.

"You are responsible for immediately contacting the relevant subdistrict offices to obtain the first batch of priority households with the most difficulties and their basic information."

"Especially for those who need to independently renovate their kitchens and toilets, we need detailed addresses, house structure diagrams, and on-site photos—have the cameras been distributed yet? Okay, we need the photos."

Chen Jingdi excitedly shouted, "Yes!"

"Chen Jingdi!"

"Ha!" Chen Jingdi puffed out his chest.

“The entire technical team has it.”

“You need to combine our previous experience in renovating individual homes and come up with several sets of standard construction drawings and material lists for simple independent kitchens and toilets for different house types and conditions.”

"Safety first, practicality first, and speed is of the essence! The working group is waiting for our proposal for reference!"

Zhang Houde was thrilled: "Great, it's all done. My brothers and I just need to tidy it up."

Qian Jin nodded: "Squad leaders!"

"Today, each squadron will take stock of its existing tools, down to the number of screws and the length of wire. The work must be meticulous and precise. What's missing, what's needed, what's required? Have you finalized the contingency plan?"

"Send the contingency plan to me when it's ready. I need to deliver it to the working group so they can prepare as soon as possible."

"Yes!" the group responded in unison.

The orders were issued one after another, clear and orderly.

The meeting ended and the crowd dispersed.

The squad leaders and platoon leaders immediately sprang into action, calling out the names of their team members and organizing meetings, registrations, and discussions.

The Approval Committee is not yet open for business.

So Qian Jin stayed on Kunlun Mountain Road.

He can't leave right now, construction hasn't even started yet, and there's a problem!

(End of this chapter)