Chapter 704: Forge ahead with vigor!

After delivering the speech, the Grassland Province investment promotion project centralized signing ceremony officially began!

The most shocking project, Tianhui Energy's trillion‑yuan project, created global "biggest five" and national "biggest three" industry records.

The most exciting project, Pang Xi Lai is investing fully in Grassland, allocating 4 billion yuan to build the "Freedom City" super‑large commercial complex in the provincial capital Qingcheng City, with a scale of 400,000 square meters. Moreover, Pang Xi Lai will invest in a Pang Xi Lai mall in each city!

The most eye‑catching project, National Pride Longteng Group will build a hydrogen‑energy heavy‑truck production base and hydrogen‑energy industry ecological project in Yike City, with phase‑one investment of 20 billion yuan and phase‑two investment of 30 billion yuan, filling the gap in this industry for Grassland.

The most anticipated project, Longteng Pharmaceutical will support the development of Mongolian medicine, investing 10 billion yuan to build six production bases and planting bases, and newly construct a high‑standard, high‑specification hospital.

The most cost‑effective project, Wanhe Agriculture and Husbandry invests 2 billion yuan to complete the transfer of 80,000 mu of farmland and create high‑standard farmland; it invests 4 billion yuan to build the Yellow River‑region agricultural demonstration area project, divided into six items: Albas White Mountain Goat breeding, cattle and sheep slaughter, cold‑chain logistics, fodder processing, organic fertilizer processing, and livestock trading market.

Moreover, there is the Ximeng agriculture and husbandry project, with a planned total investment of 2 billion yuan, mainly including planting focused on organic vegetables and high‑quality forage, ecological breeding centered on black donkey rearing, sales chain centered on deep processing of farm and livestock products and high‑end consumer market development, and pastoral complex tourism centered on grassland wine culture.

……

This centralized signing ceremony featured 458 projects, with a total agreed investment of 636.5 billion yuan, covering nine fields including equipment manufacturing, new energy, new materials, agriculture and husbandry, and modern services; enterprises among the global Top 500, national Top 500, private Top 500, manufacturing Top 500, and "specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative" firms accounted for nearly 30%, achieving extremely fruitful results!

Lu Fan, representing the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government, expressed sincere thanks to the enterprises investing in Grassland, speaking with fervor: "After this centralized signing ceremony ends, Grassland Province will carry out one‑on‑one follow‑up on projects, regardless of company size or where entrepreneurs come from; we must act as attentive 'shop assistants', keep faith, honor commitments, and provide service guarantees until projects go into production and take effect, wholeheartedly helping entrepreneur friends invest confidently, start businesses focused, and develop peacefully in Grassland!"

Grassland is a land endowed with superior resources, a treasure trove, and moreover a hotbed for broad entrepreneurs to invest and start businesses.

Grassland accumulates strength silently and bursts forth; the future is promising!

Meeting in Grassland, we stand at a new starting point; the whole province must strive to seize every moment, continuously optimize the business environment, build a strong "Invest in Grassland" brand, gather the mighty force to boost the economy and seek development, so that Grassland's high‑quality development will have a firmer foundation and finer quality!

At the event site, Lu Fan and Luo Shiyu presented plaques titled "Grassland Investment Promotion Ambassador" to the heads of the six chambers of commerce: Grassland Huangjiang Chamber of Commerce, Zeshui Province Grassland Chamber of Commerce, Grassland Lingnan Chamber of Commerce, Grassland Jiangning Chamber of Commerce, Grassland Anqing Chamber of Commerce, and Grassland Chamber of Commerce, promoting multi‑regional cooperation and mutual benefit.

After the investment promotion conference, the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government promptly convened a semi‑annual major project advancement meeting, attended by all provincial‑level leaders, the top officials of each city, and the principal persons in charge of relevant provincial departments.

At the meeting, Director Liu Xianhao of the Provincial Development and Reform Commission reported on the progress of key projects province‑wide: there are 3,145 projects with government investment over 50 million yuan and corporate investment over 100 million yuan in the province's annual plan, with a total investment of 3.4 trillion yuan, aiming to complete construction investment of 905.1 billion yuan this year.

As of this month, 3,121 projects have resumed work, a resumption rate of 99.8%; completed construction investment amounts to 634.7 billion yuan, fulfilling 70% of the annual investment plan.

This month, 458 investment promotion projects were signed, with a total agreed investment of 636.5 billion yuan, and all are planned to be included in the provincial key‑project database.

The director of the Provincial Key Projects Office reported the specific situations of 24 projects not yet started; basically all are stalled due to paperwork processing.

After hearing the report, Lu Fan instructed: "Governor Luo Shiyu, Comrade Ziren, the eight major procedures—project filing and record‑keeping, land use planning, real‑estate rights, engineering planning, civil defense filing, fire‑control design review, water and soil conservation, and construction permit—require at minimum 107 days to complete even under the fastest scenario, and that assumes seamless coordination; in reality it takes no less than 150 days, which is absolutely unacceptable!"

Comrades, for enterprises, time is life! Grassland Province's administrative efficiency cannot be this low!

There is a saying: 'What is not prohibited by law may be done; what is not authorized by law may not be done.' Are all these procedures really mandatory now? Let's streamline them! We must continually apply 'subtraction' to administrative procedures and 'addition' to service optimization, so that the whole nation can witness Grassland's 'grassland speed' in handling the preliminary procedures of key projects.

The provincial government should specifically study this, compressing those 107 working days into 30–40 days, turning 'following the routine' into 'racing against time'; I want to see the plan within three days, and in this work Grassland must strive to be first in the nation!

Luo Shiyu replied: "Okay, Secretary, the provincial government will immediately organize experts after the meeting to study how to streamline project procedures and quickly produce a feasible plan."

Lu Fan spoke earnestly: "Comrades, enterprises have placed all their wealth in our hands; this is immense trust in Grassland, and we must absolutely not betray it!"

We must always treat entrepreneurs as family, treat their affairs as our own, and follow through to the end on any difficulties they encounter in development, resolving them thoroughly.

Land is a core resource affecting project construction. Over the long term, enterprises often face difficulties in acquiring land; pre‑land‑use regional evaluation and review take a long time and cost much, while during land use the project procedures are numerous and involve many steps. These have become the 'major obstacles' that deter enterprises from investing and starting businesses, and they can easily cause firms to lose their edge in fierce market competition.

The provincial government should coordinate relevant departments to conduct basic infrastructure on already‑expropriated land, giving the land the conditions needed for project commencement—access, water, electricity, communications, gas, and leveling—to save considerable time and cost for enterprises settling in, and to make all industrial land available as 'standard land' for transfer!

If this is accomplished, the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government will award the Natural Resources Department a 'special first‑class merit', and list its top leader as a key focus for provincial‑level leadership cultivation!

Moreover, the province's stance is very clear: reward according to actual performance, key assessment will focus on the landed funds from investment promotion, and the annual target responsibility assessment score should be raised to 10–20 points, with the Organization Department responsible for implementation.

Furthermore, I want to set an unwritten rule for everyone: as long as an enterprise raises a problem or difficulty, the department head shall settle it on the same day within one day; if unable to settle, report it to the responsible leader for a timely reply and solution. If the responsible leader cannot settle it, report it to the 'top leader', ensuring the problem is resolved within three days. If the county level cannot settle it, elevate to the city level and give you another three days. If even the city‑county levels cannot settle it, report to the responsible deputy provincial governor within one week, and to the provincial governor within three days. If there is still no way to resolve it, report it to me, and I, the Party Secretary, will personally resolve it!

Let me say this up front: if I later go out for covert inspections and find that problems and difficulties in enterprises' production and operation remain unresolved, especially those the government is capable of handling, then I can only represent the enterprises in seeking your 'trouble'!

Comrades, firmly grasping investment is the top priority for the province in the coming years. This year fixed‑asset investment must grow over 20% and break the trillion‑yuan barrier—this is a dead‑line order! Everyone must earnestly plan projects, seek funds, and pursue investment promotion; as the saying goes, if you don't change your thinking, you'll be replaced; if you don't take responsibility, you'll be moved aside; if you don't act, you'll be removed from office! I hope that at next year's key project planning meeting, you will still be able to sit here and report to the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government!

Upon hearing this, everyone was shocked that Secretary Lu would elevate investment promotion and key project construction to such an extent—who would dare not fulfill their duties? The scene of last year's last‑place official being dismissed is still fresh in memory; 'this sir' truly dares to wield the knife!

Starting in August, the whole province has been busy with investment promotion, chasing projects, and ensuring implementation, tightly grasping the 'bull's nose' of investment promotion, seizing every moment, vigorously promoting investment; all leagues and cities are striving, investment promotion work shines brightly, and investment is tangible and visible.

The main leaders of the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government personally take command, traveling nationwide to visit and examine enterprises, precisely match projects, seize cooperation opportunities, and drive the Grassland investment promotion team to go out with added vigor.

Qingcheng City Mobile Intelligent Computing Center Project, Jiuyuan City 200,000‑ton High‑Purity Polysilicon Project, Zhelimu City 1.38‑million‑kilowatt Wind Power Base Project, Ximeng Open‑pit Coal Mine Project, Yike City Coal‑to‑Olefins Project, Hetao City 1 Million‑kilowatt Photovoltaic Project, Wuda City Natural Gas Transmission Pipeline Project, Wulan City Pharmaceutical Modern Logistics Industrial Park Project, Helun City Intelligent Computing Industrial Park Project……

Grassland, with a sense of urgency that waits for no one and a proactive attitude, is pushing investment promotion to a new level.

One by one, quality projects take root and show results on the vast northern frontier land, promoting industrial clustering and development, and invigorating the economy.

The government's work efficiency has improved; construction crews are seen everywhere, recruiting everywhere, acquiring land everywhere…… Grassland is becoming ever more prosperous; this tangible change is observed by the populace, remembered in their hearts, and everyone knows in their mind who is a good official, as clear as a mirror!

In mid‑August, Grassland Province issued the 'Grassland Province Measures for Optimizing the Business Environment', comprising 75 articles, establishing an assessment and incentive mechanism for investment promotion.

The Regulations clearly defined rewards and punishments, comprehensively streamlined procedures, set time limits for handling affairs, with unprecedented intensity, becoming a national benchmark!