|
BIZCHINA> Top Biz News
![]() |
|
China plans 9b-yuan aid for the poor
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-01-13 18:13 China announced on Tuesday an aid package totaling 9 billion yuan ($1.32 billion) for the country's needy people two weeks ahead of its traditional Lunar New Year. About 74 million Chinese receiving the minimum living allowances or the "five guarantees" (namely food, clothing, medical care, housing and burial expenses provided by local governments to those without relatives or employment) would receive a one-off payment of 100 yuan if they live in the countryside and 150 yuan if they live in the cities. The rural allowance was less than that in urban areas because living costs there were lower. The payment would be made from the central budget before the Chinese Lunar New Year, one of the most important occasions for family reunion in the country. This year's Lunar New Year falls on January 26. By Tuesday, the southwestern province of Sichuan, jolted by the magnitude-8 earthquake in May, allocated 394 million yuan for clothing and shelter to help the quake-affected people get through the harsh winter. The relief comes in addition to the nationwide aid package. Chengdu, provincial capital of Sichuan, even handed out 100-yuan-worth shopping coupons to needy people. The neighboring province of Shaanxi, also jolted by the May earthquake, donated about 850,000 quilts and 110,000 pieces of clothing to its quake-affected people. The province also granted rural and urban people living on the minimum living allowances an extra payment of their monthly minimum living allowances. Funds to cover heating expenses were also given out to those who lived on the minimum living allowances. "The Chinese government attaches great concern to the livelihood of the disadvantaged population, especially in times of a global financial crisis," Jiang Li, vice minister of civil affairs said. Local authorities must make sure all needy people qualifying for the aid package receive the payment in time, "so that they could enjoy a happy Lunar New Year," he said. The average annual net income for rural workers in China is 4,140 yuan in 2007, against 24,932 yuan in cities. At present, about 62 million Chinese receive monthly minimum living allowances from the local governments, while 5.3 million people receive the "five guarantees." The average monthly allowance in 2007 was 182.4 yuan per person in urban districts and 70 yuan in rural areas. China had increased the monthly minimum living allowance by 15 yuan per person in urban districts and by 10 yuan for rural residents at the beginning of 2008. (For more biz stories, please visit Industries)
|
大足县| 河津市| 高邑县| 沐川县| 普宁市| 栾城县| 光山县| 顺义区| 汽车| 裕民县| 南雄市| 固始县| 泰兴市| 贵德县| 青铜峡市| 宝清县| 贡嘎县| 融水| 邯郸县| 崇义县| 眉山市| 岳阳市| 乐都县| 锡林郭勒盟| 炉霍县| 孙吴县| 临城县| 洪湖市| 湛江市| 敦煌市| 维西| 融水| 稷山县| 云和县| 呼伦贝尔市| 甘肃省| 大同市| 株洲县| 绿春县| 陕西省| 西贡区|