Listening to Public Voices, Allocating Nearly NT$25 Million to Optimize Indigenous Communities: Hsu Shu-Hua Inspects Local Infrastructure in Ren'ai Township

Nantou County Magistrate Hsu Shu-Hua demonstrated her proactive approach and commitment to grassroots infrastructure development in indigenous communities by personally listening to local voices. On the 21st, she led a county government team to conduct on-site inspections of local infrastructure projects scattered across villages and tribes in Ren'ai Township. She approved a total of 12 major projects with a planned budget exceeding NT$23.47 million. Responding to appeals from residents, Magistrate Hsu further allocated additional funding of over NT$1.7 million and NT$200,000 respectively, ensuring comprehensive and effective improvements in one go. The approved projects cover road improvements, farm road reconstruction, drainage systems, retaining wall construction, and风雨球场 (all-weather sports courts) for tribal Indigenous Health and Wellness Stations, reflecting the county government’s determination to continuously enhance transportation in indigenous areas, upgrade public facilities, and meet residents’ daily needs.

Magistrate Hsu’s inspection tour in Ren'ai Township was attended by county councilors Lin Ting-Li, Shih Ching-Long, and Lin Fang-Yu. Township Mayor Chiang Tzu-Hsin, Council Chairman Hung Wen-Chuan, village chiefs, representatives, and many tribal residents also joined the event.

In the morning, the first stop was the Songlin Community Activity Center in Chinyi Village, where they inspected the all-weather sports court and alleyway improvements in the first neighborhood. Project briefings and approvals were also conducted for the Wujie Riverbank Farm Road Branch Improvement in Fachi Village and the rear mountain access road improvement in Chinyi Village. The renovation of the Songlin Tribe’s Indigenous Health and Wellness Station all-weather sports court, with a budget of nearly NT$7 million, will not only repair severely damaged roofs and flooring but also expand the area by over 400 square meters, significantly enhancing its function as a vital community space for gatherings, activities, and sports.

During the inspection of alleyway improvements in the first neighborhood of Chinyi Village, Magistrate Hsu listened to feedback from Chairman Hung and residents. Although it was revealed that over NT$1.7 million needed to be added to the originally planned budget of approximately NT$1.4 million to fully address slope erosion and drainage issues, Hsu emphasized that public facilities must meet residents’ actual needs. She agreed to jointly increase funding with the township office to comprehensively resolve these safety hazards affecting both residential and agricultural activities, ensuring maximum effectiveness from the improvement projects.

In the afternoon, Magistrate Hsu and her team moved to the International Conference Hall at the Ren'ai Township Office, where they invited petitioners, village chiefs, and representatives to hear improvement briefings from the county team. Hsu personally confirmed with each petitioner whether they were satisfied with the proposed improvements before signing off and instructing engineering units to expedite tendering and construction.

Projects include the improvement of simple tap water systems in Chungcheng Village, slope retaining wall enhancements on Cifeng Industrial Road in Fasiang Village, road improvements from Ruihe Road to Yuanshan Farm in Fasiang Village, alleyway upgrades in Humen Lane, Chunyang Village, and agricultural water and road improvements in the Qingliu farmland reallocation area. Additionally, infrastructure proposals from village chiefs and representatives, compiled by the Ren'ai Township Office, include foundational construction in indigenous areas and civil engineering works such as road surfacing, drainage ditches, guardrails, retaining walls, and slope reinforcement, aiming to comprehensively enhance road safety and infrastructure resilience in tribal communities.

Magistrate Hsu emphasized that Ren'ai Township is vast, and mountainous infrastructure is highly vulnerable to climatic and topographical factors, leading to continuously growing construction demands. This inspection not only assessed project progress but, more importantly, integrated local feedback into future planning and budget allocation. The county government has clearly instructed relevant departments to overcome geographical constraints in high-altitude construction, accelerate tendering and construction, and ensure projects commence promptly and are completed on time with high quality. Moving forward, the county will continue to integrate central and local resources to deliver tangible infrastructure outcomes, improving residents’ living environments and promoting sustainable development in Ren'ai Township.