'The payment of this exceptional bonus aims to improve the life of disadvantaged groups in the cities and the countryside and help those on low incomes to have a happy New Year,' said civil affairs minister Jiang Li, (pictured) quoted by the Beijing News. --PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
BEIJING - CHINA is planning an aid package totalling nine billion yuan (S$1.96 billion) for those worst affected by the global economic crisis, state media reported Saturday.
Around 74 million people worst affected by the economic downturn will receive one-off payments of 100 yuan for those living in the countryside and 150 yuan for those living in urban areas.
The payments will be made ahead of the Lunar New Year on Jan 26, civil affairs minister Jiang Li was quoted as saying by Chinese media.
'The payment of this exceptional bonus aims to improve the life of disadvantaged groups in the cities and the countryside and help those on low incomes to have a happy New Year,' said the minister, quoted by the Beijing News.
In December Beijing decided to move the annual income threshold denoting those living in poverty from 785 yuan per household to 1,100 yuan, the China Daily reported.
As a result, 43.2 million people are now regarded as officially poor, instead of 14.8 million under the old benchmark, the report said.
The average annual net income for countryside workers was 4,140 yuan in 2007, against 24,932 yuan in the cities.
The authorities are worried the economic downturn could lead to an increase in hardship for certain categories of population, such as migrant workers laid off by factories forced to close in southern and eastern China.
The government is also keen to avoid an increase in social unrest. -- AFP
