100m Chinese get social assistance in 2005
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-01-01 09:31

With the improvement of relief mechanism in China, nearly 100 million people received social assistance last year in China.

Li Xueju, minister of civil affairs in China, said in an interview with Xinhua that 15.76 million people in disaster-hit areas were properly resettled, thanks to various aiding programs launched nationwide aimed at different groups in poor conditions.

In urban areas, Li said, the bottom line life insurance is guaranteed for ill, handicapped, and jobless people. In rural areas, the bottom line insurance system has been set up in areas with proper conditions, and medical aiding programs have been pushed forward.

Li stressed a national information network has been launched for wanderers and beggars, and policies concerned are under drafting. So far, aid for wandering children has been strengthened.

According to Li, there are around 22 million people receiving the bottom line life insurance in urban areas, and six million people in rural areas. More than 9.4 million people in rural areas have received medical assistance and 700,000 wanderers and beggars received social assistance.

In general, Li said, China's social assistance, despite difficulties brought by a large population, gained fruitful results last year with most residents in rural and urban areas receiving assistance in time.