China has earmarked more than 90 billion yuan ($14.5 billion) from its national budget to help needy families and individuals in 2015, according to an official statement released on Wednesday.
"More should be done to ensure the subsistence of needy groups," read the statement, which was released after a State Council executive meeting headed by Premier Li Keqiang. It added that the government plans to invest more funds in the future so that recipients will receive improved basic living allowances and other forms of assistance.
The statement also said that the government has set aside 7.1 billion yuan ($1.1 billion) as provisional living allowances for victims of national disasters to weather the winter season, and that it urges governments at all levels to hand over the aid to the needy in time and in full.
The recent budget allocation follows the government's push for improved assistance to citizens in need. According to a report by the state-run Xinhua news agency, the central government has unveiled plans for better medical aid for patients suffering from serious illnesses, temporary assistance to families during emergencies, and improving inter-department coordination in delivering social assistance as well as coordinating assistance with private charities.
The report also mentioned the government's specific measures on the procurement of social assistance services that could potentially improve the role of social workers and volunteers as well as mobilize enterprises, particularly those owned by the central government, to providing social assistance.
In November, the state-owned policy lender China Development Bank also made headlines when it announced that it gave out more than 400 billion yuan ($66 billion) in loans to help finance shantytown renovation projects. The money was reportedly spent on renovation of houses in an area of approximately 860 square miles and benefited 8.75 million households.