Proposals play key role in creating policies

Affairs related to retirement, pension and employment have drawn attention from national legislators and political advisers, whose suggestions and proposals have been well reviewed by central departments and are being shaped into practical policies for social and economic advancement.

Central departments under the State Council, China's Cabinet, have reviewed and handled 8,783 proposals by deputies to the National People's Congress and 4,813 suggestions by members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference last year, with progresses of improving people's livelihood and advancing economic development being reached, according to the State Council Information Office.

Tang Chengpei, vice-minister of civil affairs, said at a news conference in Beijing on Friday that pension issues of the elderly and social relief have attracted great attention from national legislators and political advisers, with the ministry handling 313 proposals and 174 suggestions respectively last year to offer assistance to the needy people.

He said that the ministry has taken inspiration from these proposals and suggestions and released some new policies last year to optimize relief works for families with low incomes or those facing financial difficulties due to large amounts of expenses on education, healthcare or rehabilitation services.

The ministry has also channeled greater efforts to improve the pension services to the elderly based on some proposals and suggestions from national legislators and political advisers last year.

"We've taken active steps to improve public pension services to let the elderly get easier access to services they need. So far, the nation has about 367,000 nursing services institutes or houses.

"About 675,000 elderly people nationwide have enjoyed door-to-door professional service in having proper bathing, healthcare or emergency relief in recent years, while elderly from 2.08 million families with financial difficulties got their houses renovated with barrier-free facilities," said Tang.

The Ministry of Finance has also responded concerns from national legislators and political advisers last year on affairs of social benefits including employment, pension services, healthcare and education.

Guo Tingting, vice-minister of finance, said at the news conference that the ministry has continued its preferential treatment to companies with stable employment by offering them financial subsidies last year, and raised basic pension of the retired by 3 percent since January last year.