The problem of "same village, different rights" should be a key focus of rural community development
The differences in rights and treatment caused by different statuses are fundamentally detrimental to the harmonious and stable development of rural society. In advancing rural community development, efforts should focus on breaking down the barriers of status and moving toward the equalization of basic public services, laying a solid foundation for rural harmony and stability.
Recently, the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council issued the "Guiding Opinions on Deepening the Pilot Work of Rural Community Development." The Opinions pointed out that currently, "the rural population structure is undergoing accelerated change, the number of non-registered residents in some areas has increased substantially, and the problem of social integration of non-registered residents has become prominent." Rural non-registered residents and floating populations are typically unable to enjoy the collective economic membership rights, democratic participation rights in rural affairs, and equal access to public services that registered residents enjoy. To advance rural community development and promote harmonious coexistence between registered and non-registered rural residents, efforts must focus on resolving the problem of "same village, different rights" in rural communities.
Statistics show that as China's urbanization level continues to rise, approximately 10 million people each year change from agricultural to non-agricultural household registration status, resulting in a large number of non-local registered permanent residents in rural areas. In some areas, due to land requisition, recruitment, and other reasons, some agricultural populations have been converted to non-agricultural populations. They made sacrifices and contributions to local economic development, and after losing their membership in collective economic organizations, although their lives have not changed, they face various problems in participating in village affairs and enjoying village public services. Migrant workers from elsewhere face even more awkward circumstances: although they have made great contributions to local rural development, they remain outsiders in terms of status. Not to mention enjoying the welfare benefits of village residents, even solving the most basic problems such as their children's school enrollment and medical care involves considerable difficulties.
On the other hand, in recent years, large numbers of non-registered residents have poured into some developed rural areas. The original grassroots self-governing organizations have borne enormous pressure in terms of manpower, material resources, and other aspects, yet still find it difficult to provide adequate public services to meet the needs of non-registered residents. The public services that village collectives can provide are limited, creating a "too many monks for too little porridge" phenomenon, which objectively contributes to the reality of "same village, different rights."
Living in the same area but receiving different rights and treatment due to different statuses is fundamentally detrimental to the harmonious and stable development of rural society. In advancing rural community development, efforts should focus on breaking down the barriers of status and moving toward the equalization of basic public services, laying a solid foundation for rural harmony and stability.
To solve the above problems and promote the equalization of public services among different household registration statuses in rural areas, efforts should focus on three aspects:
First, it is necessary to rely on existing rural public service resources, expand the total supply, and raise the level of provision. Existing rural public service resources should be integrated, such as village-level cultural rooms, activity rooms, clinics, and sports and fitness facilities, with overall planning done well and greater support given to facility renovation, equipment upgrading, and personnel training. Basic urban public services should be extended to rural areas, especially public services in education, medical care, and social welfare. The providers of rural public services should also be broadened: Party and government organs at all levels, public institutions, enterprises, various social organizations, and residents should be widely mobilized to invest in the development of basic public services in rural communities. Through various forms such as volunteer activities and government purchase of social services, the supply of basic public services in rural communities can be expanded.
Second, institutional reform and innovation should be deepened to promote non-registered residents' right to participate in village collective affairs and their right to enjoy basic public services. For example, institutionally explore mechanisms for registered and non-registered residents to jointly participate in rural community coordination and deliberation; on the premise of protecting the lawful rights and interests of members of rural collective economic organizations, explore guiding non-registered residents to participate in democratic decision-making through sharing fundraising and labor contributions, investing in the collective economy, and other means; and explore setting up humane and operable standards that allow non-registered residents of the village who meet the standards to equally enjoy basic social public services.
Third, a "safety-net" system of basic public services for people with special difficulties should be established. At the current stage, when it is impossible to fully achieve equal access to public services for non-registered rural populations, the protection of the rights and interests of people with special difficulties can serve as a breakthrough point for reform. For example, among the non-registered population in rural communities, those in extreme poverty, those with major illnesses, those who have suffered catastrophic disasters or accidents, and "three-without" elderly persons and other people with special difficulties should be enabled to enjoy the same public services and rights to participate in collective affairs as the registered population of the village community. This is not only an institutional "safety-net" guarantee for people with special difficulties, but also an important step toward achieving equalization of public services in rural communities.
The unequal basic public services in rural communities are a new problem emerging in China's urbanization process. On the one hand, it stems from the imbalanced allocation of urban and rural public service resources and the insufficient total supply of public services in rural communities; on the other hand, it is caused by China's current household registration system. The introduction of these Opinions provides a good opportunity to resolve the inequality of basic public services in rural communities. Each pilot rural community should demonstrate the wisdom and courage for reform and make unremitting efforts to promote the equalization of public services and the harmony and stability of rural areas.