Lishui deputies of the Zhejiang People's Congress offered constructive advice in bringing about quality growth in the province's rural areas on Jan 24.

Hu Hongfang, who runs a farm in Jinyun county and is the only deputy in the Lishui delegation from the post-1985 generation, said she is confident in rural development. She has a huge stack of documents and manuscripts on her desk, which are full of detailed notes and editing marks.

"The report of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China proposed a strategy to vitalize the rural economy, and my proposal is about encouraging college graduates to start businesses in their hometowns and facilitate the building of rural areas." Hu said.

Hu Hongfang and her husband decided to go back to Hu's hometown after graduating from college, and Hu decided to make her living by growing flowers. Like most entrepreneurs, they faced many challenges, such as lack of money, difficulty getting loans, and insufficient knowledge of farming.

Hu said that she initially spent a lot of time and energy raising funds and familiarizing herself with basic farming techniques, adding that she hoped the government could give more financial support to rural entrepreneurs and provide more agricultural training programs. She also hopes that more local farmers will help contribute to Lishui's sustainable development.

Another deputy, the chief engineer of SKR Robot Co Chen Rongchang brought six proposals to the congress, one of which involved rural vitalization.

"Rural development cannot be achieved without professionals," he said, also emphasizing the importance of training professionals for work in rural areas.

According to his statistics, the number of students that returned to Lishui to work after graduating from college lags well behind the number of students attending the College Entrance Examination in the city.

"About 2,500 employees in grassroots enterprises, schools, scientific and technological institutions, and medical centers have left their jobs in the last five years. "Medical and agricultural professionals in rural areas are particularly scarce," Chen said.

He said the lack and loss of professionals in rural areas, especially in mountainous areas, is a "major roadblock" for local economic and social development, and suggested a compensation system whereby talents working in undeveloped areas are granted subsidies.

Chen also proposed a special enrollment plan, which would encourage local students taking the College Entrance Examination to work in Lishui's grassroots enterprises and institutions and help alleviate the shortage of talent there.

The Lishui delegation of the first session of the 13th Zhejiang People's Congress has a panel discussion on Jan 25. [Photo/Lishui Daily]