Chapter 339

With the County Head position vacant, Lu Fan took on the heavy responsibility of assessment and presided over the county's fourth-quarter economic operation dispatch meeting in mid-December, attended by all county-level leaders and heads of relevant departments.

The meeting heard work reports on the county's fourth-quarter economic operation and studied and deployed current economic operation work.

Lu Fan pointed out that through everyone's joint efforts, the main economic indicators in the third quarter had rebounded, achieving certain results. The fourth quarter is the critical period for sprinting toward the annual target tasks. All departments must keep a close eye on the target tasks, work in a down-to-earth manner, and go all out to complete the annual target tasks.

Lu Fan emphasized that all departments and units undertaking assessment tasks must actively take action, do everything possible to tap potential and increase efficiency, and strive to achieve the goal of maintaining a top-five and competing for a top-three ranking in the city by the end of the year. They must strengthen analysis and judgment, reinforce work dispatching, and especially for oil and gas enterprises, they must follow the requirements of no reduction in output and no change in tasks, and resolutely complete the established production tasks. At the same time, they must strengthen communication and coordination. The Organization Department, Propaganda Department, County Economic Development Bureau, Statistics Bureau, and departments and units undertaking assessment indicators must strengthen communication and docking from top to bottom, actively strive for the support and understanding of higher-level departments, and cooperate with each other to form a joint force to ensure the smooth completion of the annual target tasks.

When the meeting ended, Lu Fan joked with everyone that after the December economic figures were reported, they would all go to work in the city. If they couldn't get a satisfactory ranking, they would have no face to face the people of Ganshui and should not come back to work!

The Oil Extraction Plant is the largest enterprise in the county, contributing nearly half of the county's tax revenue, output value, and fixed asset investment. It is very powerful, and others cannot handle such enterprises stationed in Ganshui; it requires the main leader, Lu Fan, to personally come forward to dock.

On December 20, County Party Committee Secretary Lu Fan went to the Siwan Oil Extraction Plant to conduct deep and comprehensive communication and exchanges with Plant Manager Xu Shijie on issues such as further accelerating the development of the petroleum industrial economy, increasing land-enterprise joint construction projects, and strengthening oilfield project management, to discuss the grand plan for land-enterprise development.

At the symposium, Lu Fan expressed his gratitude to the Oil Extraction Plant for its long-term strong support for Ganshui's economic and social development. The Ganshui County Party Committee and County Government will, as always, support the oilfield enterprise in expanding capacity and production, and properly handle issues such as well site approval, roads, drinking water, environmental protection, and public security to create a good environment for oilfield development.

Xu Shijie stated that the Oil Extraction Plant, with the support of the Ganshui County Party Committee and County Government, will go all out to help local economic and social development, continue to increase investment, improve the level of oil and gas production capacity construction, and while the enterprise itself develops and grows, it will fully promote Ganshui County's economic and social development.

Important matters are not discussed in meetings. After the meeting, Lu Fan and Xu Shijie had a separate talk.

Lu Fan said with a smile: "The Oil Extraction Plant is not doing well this year. It produced 230,000 tons of crude oil, a 17% decrease in output, which has had too big an impact on Ganshui's GDP and industrial output value! Manager Xu, you have to think of a way!"

Xu Shijie looked troubled and said: "Secretary Lu, although our output has decreased, the output value is 580 million, an increase of 58%, which makes up for the lack of output. Furthermore, you also know that the Oil Extraction Plant produces according to plan; the headquarters issued this task amount, and I am powerless!"

Lu Fan said: "This year, the County Party Committee and County Government helped your Oil Extraction Plant solve all historical problems, and well site approval was also given the green light; the support was not insignificant. However, the output in Ningyang and Anbao is increasing, but Ganshui's is decreasing. This is unjustifiable. I have one purpose for coming here today: the annual output of the Siwan Oil Extraction Plant this year must be the same as or slightly higher than last year. Otherwise, you have to provide my meals; I won't leave!"

"Secretary, meals are a small problem; we would be too happy to welcome you! The output problem is really not something I can decide. The root is in the Oilfield Company; Chairman Su has to give the word!"

Lu Fan laughed: "I will definitely coordinate with Chairman Su, but you must position yourself correctly, lean toward our Ganshui, and actively strive upward!"

After speaking, Lu Fan dialed the phone of Qinchuan Petroleum's boss, Su Xingyu. Ten seconds later, the call was connected.

Lu Fan said with a smile: "Chairman Su, sorry to bother you!"

Su Xingyu said warmly: "Secretary Lu, I was just planning to make a special trip to Ganshui in the next few days to thank you in person!"

Through Lu Fan's matchmaking, Su Xingyu and Li Siwei connected, and things went smoothly at the Development and Reform Commission. He really planned to go to Ganshui in the next few days.

Lu Fan said: "We really have a tacit understanding; I was also planning to go to Qinchuan Petroleum to visit Chairman Su!"

"If it's official business, Secretary Lu, feel free to say it; there's no need to make a special trip!"

"Chairman Su, the Oilfield Company cannot favor one over the other. The output of other counties is increasing steadily, but Ganshui's output has decreased by nearly 20%. I really have no way to report to the Municipal Committee and Municipal Government! If the output cannot be made up, Ganshui's ranking in the city will be at the bottom, and I will have no choice but to stay at the Oil Extraction Plant and not leave!"

Su Xingyu laughed: "Secretary Lu, is that all? Don't worry, it will be done immediately, right away, and I guarantee it will be done beautifully!"

Lu Fan said: "As long as this year's output shows positive growth, I will definitely carry a pig's head and bring good wine to thank Chairman Su!"

After hanging up the phone, Lu Fan said to Xu Shijie: "There is no problem with Chairman Su, but the specific work still needs to trouble Manager Xu to dock!"

Xu Shijie witnessed Lu Fan's energy and immediately stated: "Please rest assured, Secretary. As long as Chairman Su gives the word, I will go all out to coordinate the rest. After all, I count as half a Ganshui person; I must contribute to Ganshui!"

Returning to the office, County Discipline Inspection Commission Secretary Zhang Qianyuan came to report that the Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission had fed back the disciplinary violation problems of County Finance Bureau Director Shen Kaixing, and the County Discipline Inspection Commission also had some clues.

After listening, Lu Fan asked Chen Zemin to call the Deputy Secretary and the Organization Department Head to discuss this matter.

At 3:00 PM, Finance Bureau Director Shen Kaixing was receiving an enterprise boss in his office.

"Director Shen, when can you settle our 3.26 million in project funds? This is a provincial special fund, and all the necessary signatures have been approved. It has been delayed for more than a year. The enterprise is waiting for rice to cook; it's really hard to sustain!"

Shen Kaixing put on a serious look and said: "Manager Ma, you also know the situation in the county. County Head Wang had some trouble, and I dare not easily make decisions about money. Otherwise, who would be responsible if something went wrong?"

Manager Ma said anxiously: "This is a provincial special fund. The project was accepted last year, and the audit report has been issued. Several leaders have signed it. This has nothing to do with whether County Head Wang had trouble, right?"

"Sigh, Old Ma, I'm also in a difficult position! The finance is too tight, and the salaries of cadres and workers for next month have no source. You wait a little longer, don't be anxious!"

Manager Ma knew it was time to "express" himself. He placed the briefcase in his hand under Shen Kaixing's office chair and said cautiously: "Director Shen, a small token of appreciation. Please coordinate my matter!"

Looking at the thickness of the "briefcase," Shen Kaixing felt it was about right and said: "Manager Ma, what do you mean by this? Don't do this; I will definitely help if I can!" He refused well with his mouth, but his hands didn't take any action.

Manager Ma felt it was about right and stood up to say goodbye.

But before Manager Ma could open his mouth, County Discipline Inspection Commission Deputy Secretary Wang Shanshi pushed the door open with two discipline inspection cadres, their expressions extremely serious!

Shen Kaixing was immediately panicked and said to Manager Ma: "Hurry up and take your things away; I am a person of principle!"

Wang Shanshi knew what was going on at a glance. He didn't expect an unexpected harvest and said lightly: "Director Shen, I heard that as long as people come to your office, they are either paying money or waiting to pay money. It seems you really weren't wronged!"

Shen Kaixing hurriedly said: "Secretary Wang, you misunderstood! He is bribing me; I am a Party-member leading cadre, how could I accept such money?"

Wang Shanshi said: "Then please come with me, Director Shen, and explain the problem clearly!"

Shen Kaixing said anxiously: "Secretary Wang, is there a need for this? He is the one bribing; it has nothing to do with me!" He hadn't realized the seriousness of the problem yet!

Wang Shanshi didn't waste words with him, directly issued the document, and said sternly: "Shen Kaixing, please cooperate with the Discipline Inspection Commission's investigation and confess your problems at the specified time and place!"

"'Shuanggui'?" Shen Kaixing was completely dumbfounded, slumped in his chair, his face ashen!

"Take him away!" Following Wang Shanshi's order, two staff members quickly went over, supported Shen Kaixing, and took him out of the office.

Manager Ma stood to the side, trembling with fear. Wang Shanshi said to him: "Take your things and come with me to the Discipline Inspection Commission to explain the problem!"

After the cadres of the Finance Bureau heard the commotion, they all came out of their offices.

When they saw their limp director being forcibly taken away by the Discipline Inspection Commission, everyone's face showed an expression of disbelief.

The once majestic and powerful director had now ended up like this, making people sigh at the unpredictability of the world.

Some people began to whisper, guessing the reason for the director being taken away; some were filled with righteous indignation and started cursing directly, thinking he was caught too late; some were worried, fearing they would be implicated... All kinds of life states were fully displayed.

Soon, the news that the Finance Bureau Director had been taken by the Discipline Inspection Commission spread throughout the county. The streets and alleys were discussing it, but it was all cursing, saying that the biggest corrupt official in the county had finally been "handled" by Secretary Lu!

Thus, cadres and the masses began to count who Secretary Lu had "handled" since coming to Ganshui. They didn't know until they counted, and they were shocked when they did! One County Head, two Deputy County Heads, four or five functional bureau directors, plus some deputy directors and cadres—it added up to twenty or thirty people "handled"!

You know, for so many years in Ganshui, not a single leader at the bureau director level or above had ever been "taken down." Everyone knew whether they had problems or not.

And Secretary Lu had only been in Ganshui for a year, yet he had taken down one corrupt element after another, and they were all heavyweight leaders. This courage was unmatched!

Lu Fan carried the trend of rectifying conduct and fighting corruption to the end, making Ganshui's leading cadres afraid to be corrupt, making corrupt elements tremble with fear, and striving to create a clean and upright political ecology.

Shen Kaixing being taken away by the Discipline Inspection Commission caused Executive Deputy County Head Yang Chengyu to fall into panic. He was the supervisor of the Finance Bureau, and many things were inseparable from him.