Poverty Alleviation of State Electricity Regulatory Commission

　　【Overview】 In 2010, through cooperation between relevant units subordinated to the State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC) and the field research and hard work of Gansu Electricity Regulatory Commission and temporary cadres, periodic results were achieved in fixed-point poverty alleviation.

　　In November 2009, LGOP designated the State Electricity Regulatory Commission to provide counterpart assistance for Tongwei County of Gansu Province in fixed-point poverty reduction. The Party Organization of SERC attached great importance to the task and held special meeting to make arrangements for the anti-poverty work. Chairman Wang Xudong paid special attention to poverty alleviation, listened to the anti-poverty work report for a few times, gave detailed instructions on relevant reporting materials and provided careful guidance and practical assistance for the implementation of some specific tasks.

　　In order to make the poverty alleviation more effective, SERC paid attention to the communication and consultation with local provincial, prefectural and county government. The Power Supply Department and Gansu Electricity Regulatory Office conducted field research in Tongwei County for a few times. Based on the field research, actual situation and objective needs of Tongwei County, combined with its own characteristics and existing conditions, the Party Organization of SERC determined the general idea for fixed-point poverty alleviation of SERC in Tongwei County: “Do our best within our capabilities in accordance with the planning of Tongwei County Party Committee and County Government for local economic and social development and our own advantages; gradually improve local infrastructure starting with poverty alleviation by electricity; boost local economic development focusing on poverty reduction by information technology and, taking intellectual poverty reduction as a long-term task, gradually enhance the overall quality of local cadres and masses”.

　　【Field research for poverty alleviation】From October 26 to 28, 2010, entrusted by the Party Organization of SERC, Vice Chairman Wang Yeping led some of the members of the leading group for fixed-point poverty alleviation to carry out field research in Tongwei County to learn the rural production and living conditions and the effect of satellite TV program receiving equipment, attend the opening ceremony for rural electric network alteration project and study local highroad renovation plan, and organized the on-site work conference on poverty reduction, listened to the opinions and suggestions of local cadres and masses on the fixed-point poverty alleviation of SERC and held talks with relevant staffs of the provincial, prefectural and county government departments. In addition, they donated a number of school supplies to one local primary school (Zhengyang Primary School) and local cadres and masses were deeply inspired.

　　【Organization and management of poverty alleviation】 To further implement the fixed-point poverty alleviation task, strengthen organization and coordination and establish a long-term effective mechanism, the Party Organization of SERC approved the founding of SERC’s leading group for fixed-point poverty alleviation with Vice Chairman of SERC as the head, Supervisor of SERC as the deputy head and the principles of the Office Department, Personnel Training Department, Power Supply Department and Gansu Electricity Regulatory Office as the members. It was clearly stated that the Power Supply Department is responsible for the daily work of the leading group and Gansu Electricity Regulatory Office is responsible for coordinating relevant work in local area. Meanwhile, Tian Maojun from Gansu Electricity Regulatory Office, who was selected as the first temporary cadre for poverty reduction, was sent to act as the Assistant Mayor of Tongwei County to implement the specific anti-poverty work in local area.

　　On May 19, the leading group for fixed-point poverty alleviation held the first meeting to convey the spirit of the “Notice of the General Office of CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council on Further Promoting Fixed-point Poverty Alleviation” (Ting Zi [2010] No. 2) and listen to relevant work reports. On the basis of the 6 research reports formed after the field research and communication with local cadres and masses in various villages and towns of Tongwei County by Power Supply Department and Gansu Electricity Regulatory Office, especially the temporary cadres, the event developed the project plan for future fixed-point poverty alleviation, clarified the principles for the use of anti-poverty funds and made arrangements for relevant specific work.

　　On December 23, 2010, the leading group for fixed-point poverty alleviation held the second meeting, reviewed the implementation results of the poverty alleviation by electricity, poverty reduction by information technology and intellectual poverty relief conducted by SERC in Tongwei County over the past year, developed specific measures for the fixed-point poverty alleviation in 2011 based on the feedback and needs of local cadres and masses, and made coordination in cadre sending and use of poverty relief funds.

　　【Poverty alleviation by power grid construction】In view of the rapid economic development, a rapid increase in electricity consumption and weak rural power grid construction in Tongwei County in recent years, SERC actively coordinated relevant department to determine Tongwei County as the "demonstration county for rural power grid upgrading" in Gansu Province. In 2010, according to the national investment plan, through active coordination of SERC, the amount of anti-poverty funds for the renovation of rural power network of 10 kilovolts and below increased from 8.38 million Yuan to 23.55 million Yuan, with an increase of 15.17 million Yuan. The completion of these projects will significantly improve the level of power supply network of Tongwei County, improve the local electricity supply situation in rural areas and provide more reliable support for local economic development and higher quality electricity services for the majority of electricity users, especially the users in rural areas.

　　【Poverty alleviation by information technology】As radio and television program signals cannot be guaranteed in some remote mountainous areas of Tongwei County, local farmers are not well informed and it is hard for them to get rich. With support and personal coordination of Chairman Wang Xudong, SERC strived for 500 sets of satellite TV receivers for local residents. In 2010, all these devices were delivered and installed, giving priority to three remote towns including Maying Town, Shitan, etc. The indicators all reached the technical standard. After the delivery of satellite TV receivers, local farmers can receive 47 TV channels and four sets of radio channels at home, which expanded the coverage of radio and television signals, broadened the channels for local residents to obtain information and improved farmers’ capacity for self-development and getting rich, welcomed by the people.

　　【Intellectual poverty relief】 To further improve the quality of grassroots cadres in Tongwei County, change traditional ideas, foster leaders for getting rich and speed up the pace of economic restructuring, with support from Shandong  Electricity Regulatory Office, from August 22 to 31, SERC organized 22 township cadres of Tongwei County to attend trainings in Shandong. The trainings were mainly about relevant policies and regulations, strategic planning, modern agriculture, planting and breeding technology and other theoretical knowledge. It also organized them to carry out field research in high-tech development zone, institutes of pomology, agro-ecological demonstration zones, dairy farming demonstration zones and high-tech demonstration zones for vegetable growing and hold talks with local residents. The research reports written by these grassroots cadres after the training were highly affirmed by Tongwei County Party Committee and County Government.

　　【Pro-poor measures】  1. Fixed-point poverty alleviation is a long-term political task rather than a temporary work. It is one of the specific initiatives for implementing the strategic decision of “speeding up the process of poverty alleviation and development, building a moderately prosperous society and building a socialist harmonious society” of the State Council for LGOP to designate SERC to provide counterpart assistance for Tongwei County of Gansu Province in fixed-point poverty alleviation. Therefore, the aiding units should further raise awareness and cooperate with each other with the spirit of perseverance to lay a good basis for poverty reduction.

2. Conduct poverty relief based on its own advantages and functions. At the early stage of poverty alleviation, through many activities of field research, SERC determined the general idea of gradually improving infrastructure starting with poverty relief by electricity through giving full play to its own strength. After one year’s practice, obvious results were achieved.

3. Explore educational function of fixed-point poverty alleviation and make anti-poverty work a platform for training of cadres and public education. Through participating in fixed-point poverty alleviation, more cadres discovered a more real situation and had a deeper understanding of people’s hardship and a deeper feeling for public sentiment. Through addressing some practical problems for impoverished areas, it the cadres enhanced their quality and capacity. In 2010, Tian Maojun, a temporary cadre sent by SERC to the poor area, was approved to join the CPC in Tongwei County for his outstanding performance.