Premier Wen Jiabao urged local governments to care more for ordinary people, especially those with low incomes and those who have been laid off, and to ensure that everyone has a warm winter.

On hearing Beijing's heating plan for the coming winter on Sunday, Wen said local governments should work hard to provide adequate heating to all households by ensuring adequate coal and gas supply.

During a conversation with Fu Deqing, a laid-off grain officer, Wen asked him about his allowances, children's tuition fees and whether he had enough briquets for the winter.

After Fu gave positive answers to all questions, Wen demanded accompanying Beijing officials to earnestly implement measures on reemployment by developing service-related, labor-intensive enterprises and creating more job opportunities for the unemployed.

He also wanted local officials to offer more vocational training and improve social security for laid-off workers and their kids.

After visiting two households in Qianmen, a centuries-old district that is crowded with often shabby houses, Wen said the government was confident of improving living conditions.

"We'll speed up housing construction for low-income families and devote more efforts to resolving the housing difficulties of people in need," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency November 8, 2004)