Premier Zhu Rongji's Government Work Report (excerpts)
-- Promoting all-round development of agriculture and the rural economy;
He went on to say that China should lighten burdens on farmers and maintain rural stability. "The pressing task at hand is to stop the practices of the arbitrary levying of charges, arbitrary fund-raising, arbitrary imposing of quotas and arbitrary levying of fines, resolutely canceling all such charges the state has ordered to be banned," he stressed.
The premier made it clear that farmers will still be subject to a fixed number of rational and limited charges and fees which will remain unchanged for three years. "We should lose no time in formulating and implementing plans for changing these charges and fees into taxes, protect the legitimate rights and interests of farmers and completely resolve the problem of heavy burdens they bear," he said.
Efforts will be made to expand democracy at the grassroots level in rural areas, promote the self-government of villagers and ensure that village affairs are made known to villagers, he said, calling on rural cadres at the grassroots level to change their work style and maintain close ties with the masses.
He said the government should step up its efforts to fight poverty. "This year, we should strive to decrease the number of poor people in rural areas by 10 million or more and ensure that those who have shaken off poverty will not become poor again," he said.
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