Chapter 525

The hurried years flow by, bit by bit, creating something extraordinary; a busy and fulfilling year ends perfectly! It is like an uplifting movement, playing the victorious melody.

The brand-new 2024 year quietly arrives; for Lu Fan, it means a new beginning, new opportunities, new challenges. He will still not forget his original aspiration, forge ahead, and the future is promising! As long as there is a dream in the heart and a path underfoot, he will surely burst forth with even more splendid brilliance.

In the provincial target responsibility assessment, Nanyuan City came in first, receiving an excellent rating; the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government gave it a commendation via notice.

The municipal target responsibility assessment also concluded smoothly. In the county/district assessment, Wolong District, Xinye County, Zhenping County, and Xichuan County received excellent ratings; in the municipal department assessment, the Municipal Party Committee Office, Municipal Government Office, Municipal Party Committee Propaganda Department, Municipal Political and Legal Committee, Municipal Development and Reform Commission, Municipal Finance Bureau, Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau, and 22 other departments received excellent ratings.

With the assessment concluded, it means year-end bonuses can be issued, also a reward for cadres' hard work at year's end. However, there are rumors that civil servants' year-end bonuses will be canceled, and several regions have already begun to suspend their issuance.

Therefore, Lu Fan summoned Mayor Su Xiang Hai to discuss.

After hearing the secretary's idea, Su Xiang Hai said: "Issuing year-end bonuses poses no financial pressure, but I've heard that some provinces have even recalled bonuses already paid out; I'm not sure whether we can or dare to issue them. Secretary, Nanyuan has never had a tradition of issuing year-end bonuses—there's no need to take this risk."

Lu Fan shook his head and said: "The welfare benefits of Nanyuan's cadres are not high; issuing some bonuses can motivate everyone's enthusiasm for work and entrepreneurship. The recall of bonuses you mentioned has indeed happened, sparking extensive discussion online and drawing attention from above; an official response has been issued, stating that the suspension of year-end bonus issuance is due to some regions issuing bonuses haphazardly—various messy subsidies like investment attraction awards and spiritual civilization awards—and that such phenomena will be strictly dealt with; after rectification, issuance will resume, so there's no need to be overly alarmed or to overcorrect."

Moreover, the Civil Service Law clearly stipulates that those rated as excellent or competent in regular assessments shall, according to state regulations, enjoy year-end bonuses. As for the amount, you should carefully review the relevant policy documents—issue what is due, issue according to regulations—and have the Municipal Party Committee issue the document; I will take responsibility for this.

Su Xiang Hai hurriedly said: "Secretary, issuing bonuses is the government's duty; how could we let the Municipal Party Committee issue the document? I can certainly take responsibility for this! I'll go back now to study superior policies and research the bonus issuance standards; Secretary, could you just give me a rough outline?"

Lu Fan thought for a moment and said: "Issuing too much would be too conspicuous; for excellent-rated counties/departments, aim around 20,000; for competent ones, subtract about 2,000; definitely do not issue to basically competent or incompetent ones. Bonus issuance should achieve the effect of 'rewarding the advanced and urging the backward,' mobilizing the enthusiasm and initiative of the broad cadres."

Okay, Secretary, the New Year is coming up soon; I will strive to formulate the policy as quickly as possible.

Good, we must distribute the bonuses before the New Year; after a year of hard work, Nanyuan has achieved historic success, and we must let the comrades celebrate a prosperous year happily!

Also, I want to communicate with you in advance: after the New Year, we need to adjust personnel. Dengzhou City and the Civil Affairs Bureau ranked last in the assessment; their main leaders must be adjusted. Moreover, some departments work lazily and drag their feet; they must be firmly dealt with. Nanyuan must promote the cadre principle of 'ability to rise and fall,' selecting and employing those who can plan, execute, and accomplish tasks. If you have any ideas, let's communicate promptly.

Okay, Secretary, I will come to report any good suggestions at any time.

On the twenty-fourth of the twelfth lunar month, Lu Fan, accompanied by Municipal Party Committee Secretary-General Dou Zhengyang, set off for the provincial capital to begin his New Year visits.

Worldly relations are like an invisible big net; Lu Fan, being in it, cannot avoid being worldly, after all, work requires leaders' support.

If you go, they may not necessarily remember you; but if you don't go, you will surely be missed by the leaders, and if they later give you a setback at work, you will truly lose more than you gain, regret it deeply, and can only swallow your anger in silence.

As for the New Year goods, Lu Fan need not worry; that is the secretary-general's and the General Affairs Bureau's responsibility. In the compound, they often do minor repairs, which is how these shady accounts come about. Some project units are also the leaders' 'money bags'!

Upon arriving in the province, Lu Fan naturally first went to visit Secretary Tang Bing.

Seeing the familiar faces filling the corridor, Lu Fan smiled and greeted everyone, but he felt annoyed inside; he could only queue up to register, patiently waiting for the leaders to summon him, and the time was wasted just like that.

At 11:40 a. m., it was finally Lu Fan's turn. As he entered, a Municipal Party Committee secretary reminded him: "Lu Secretary, it's almost time to leave work; please hurry up so I can also get a chance to see the leader!"

Lu Fan smiled and said: "No problem, it's just a few words; I'm just afraid the leader might ask a few more questions."

After entering, Lu Fan smiled and said: "Secretary, I wish you an early New Year; may you be healthy, safe and happy, and may all go well in the new year! I have prepared some Nanyuan specialties—kiwifruit, danshen, jade leaf tea, and old liquor from the pawnshop; please don't disdain them; I'll contact the driver later."

Tang Bing laughed and said: "Actually, I should thank you—you are a great contributor to Huayuan Province! Relying solely on Nanyuan City's strength, you have raised the province's GDP growth ranking by seven places nationwide, so we no longer have to be at the bottom!" Not mentioning the New Year goods indicates his acceptance.

Lu Fan laughed and replied: "Secretary, you overpraise me; if you praise me any more, I won't know which way is north! Nanyuan has indeed made great progress this year, but there is still a considerable gap from the Provincial Party Committee's requirement of a trillion-yuan GDP. Next year, we will certainly act with a sense of urgency that time waits for no one and a sense of mission that it's up to us, with greater courage and vision, superior wisdom and strategy, forging ahead headfirst, exerting ourselves fully, accumulating strength to reach new heights, striving not to disappoint your high expectations."

After chatting a few sentences, Tang Bing's tone shifted, and he said meaningfully: "Lu Fan, the Provincial Party Committee leadership may face adjustments next year; if there is an opportunity, would you like to come to the Provincial Party Committee, or go to the Provincial Government?"

Lu Fan replied without hesitation: "I am a brick of the organization; wherever needed, I will move there, and I will firmly follow the organization and the secretary's arrangements!" Because he knows this matter is not up to him to say; Li Lao and his father-in-law see farther than he does.

After discussing work, Lu Fan routinely recommended to Secretary Tang Bing the Deputy Municipal Party Secretary of Nanyuan, Wang Hong, as pushing cadres outward is his duty as Municipal Party Secretary; whether useful or not, he must persistently recommend them to the organization.

After leaving the Provincial Party Committee, Lu Fan went to "Provincial Yizhao" and had lunch at noon with the head of the Provincial Party Committee Organization Department, Zhao Lingyun.

After half a year of interaction, Lu Fan and Zhao Lingyun have built a preliminary friendship. This department head is quite individualistic, respects Secretary Tang Bing greatly, but can often voice his own opinions and plays a significant role in promoting deputy bureau-level cadres; during the meal, Lu Fan again recommended several county party secretaries to him.

After work in the afternoon, Lu Fan went to the Provincial Discipline Inspection Commission, the Provincial Party Committee Propaganda Department, and the Provincial Political and Legal Committee.

The leaders' attitudes toward Lu Fan were all friendly, especially the Political and Legal Committee Secretary Wang Jinwu, who also invited Lu Fan to go to the capital together to see Li Lao.

The day passed just like that; in the evening, Lu Fan invited the Deputy Secretary-General of the Provincial Government Li Borning, the Deputy Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee Zhang Wenjun, the Deputy Director of the Agriculture Department Huang Wenbin, and the Deputy Director of the Education Department Wu Zhengyu to dinner, where they enjoyed drinks and conversation with classmates, and he also gave each of them a New Year gift.

The classmates all knew that Deng Guoqiang had been reassigned as Municipal Party Secretary and Wang Xi as Mayor, and Lu Fan had played a decisive role; therefore, they became even more determined to rally around Lu Fan, following the class leader's lead in everything.

The next day, before work even began, Lu Fan went to the Provincial Government to see the governor first; otherwise, he would have to wait in line for half a day, and his New Year visit schedule wouldn't be completed in three days.

At 8:00 sharp, Governor Liu Linghao walked out of the elevator, saw Lu Fan standing at the door like a doorman, and laughed, saying: "You came earlier than I did; let's go inside and talk."

After entering, Governor Liu Linghao said: "You don't need to come here for me; between us, no need for formalities."

Lu Fan gave a slight smile and replied: "How could I not come during the New Year? Governor, I haven't made any special preparations; I just brought a few Nanyuan specialties—you'll have to help us promote them; I'll contact the driver later."

"Fine, if you don't accept it, can you still take it back? When do you plan to return to the capital?"

"Governor, I estimate I'll return on the twenty-eighth of the twelfth lunar month."

Governor Liu Linghao thought for a moment and said: "Let's book a flight together to visit the former leaders. Lu Fan, Nanyuan has made great contributions this year, improving the province's data, which has eased my pressure as governor; I owe you thanks."

Lu Fan hurriedly said: "Those achievements of Nanyuan are all thanks to the strong support of the Provincial Government; I will keep the governor's support in mind. After the New Year, I also ask you to continue to care about and support Nanyuan's development."

Governor Liu Linghao gave a mysterious smile, handed Lu Fan a document, and said: "Take a look; I didn't give you a heads-up in advance."

Lu Fan took it and, to his surprise, it was the "Opinions of the Huayuan Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government on Supporting Nanyuan's Accelerated Construction as a Provincial Sub-central City." After quickly browsing it, he happily said: "Governor, this support is too great! The Opinions give Nanyuan's development a clear position, set goals, outline a path, and bring a rare and important opportunity—truly inspiring!"

Governor Liu Linghao laughed and said: "Support for Nanyuan's construction as a sub-central city will be written into this year's Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government work report; the Provincial Government will tilt funds and policies in its favor, and all provincial departments must likewise issue specific supporting opinions for Nanyuan, which I will personally oversee. I hope you will boost your development confidence, unite to form a strong force for high-quality, leapfrog development, strive boldly, excel in practical work, and in 2024 spare no expense to charge into the 'trillion-yuan GDP club'."

Lu Fan understood that not only does he need achievements, but the leaders need political performance even more. Nanyuan's GDP of nearly 90 million shows the leaders the hope of a trillion, so they will naturally spare no effort to support it; Nanyuan's 'breakthrough' development has already become a consensus among the leaders.