A large number of Chinese citizens are still living without electricity, an indication of the high level of poverty the country is still grappling with in some parts, according to a Chinese cabinet official.
"A total of 3,917 villages have no power supply, affecting nearly 3.8 million," said Liu Shuwen, an official of the poverty alleviation and development department of the State Council.
Liu said that the impoverishment in the said villages prevailed notwithstanding China's fast economic development, according to a Global Times report.
"Despite being the world's second largest economy, China is burdened with the heavy task of fighting poverty," he said.
According to standards, people with an annual income of 2,300 yuan ($374.54) are considered poor.
By the end of last year, China had 82.49 million people in the rural areas belonging to this sector.
"Aside from an electricity shortage, the rural poor usually have difficulty getting clean drinking water, education and medical care," Liu said.
In a statement issued during the Central Economic Work Conference held last week, it was said that China "will beef up efforts to enhance basic public services and combat poverty."