State and Ministerial Policy News:
Another 5 billion yuan subsidy has been allocated by the state revenue for the renovation of dilapidated housing in rural areas in 2015. Based on the 31.5 billion yuan which had already been allocated, the Ministry of Finance, together with the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Housing and Urban-rural Development, allocated another 5 billion yuan subsidy (as part of central investment in capital construction) for the renovation of dilapidated housing in rural areas in 2015. This fund is mainly targeted at strengthening seismic resistance of housing in rural areas with high seismic fortification intensity. In 2015, a total of 36.5 billion yuan subsidy has been allocated by the central government for the renovation project, increased by 13.5 billion yuan compared with last year. As a result, the number of impoverished rural households that have benefited from the fund rose to 4.32 million, increased by 1.66 million compared with last year.
Source: cfen.com.cn Aug. 12, 2015
Local Poverty Alleviation News:
In 2015, Shandong Province raised 1.31 billion yuan special fund to assist college students from impoverished families. It is reported that in recent years, Shandong Province has been improving its subsidy policy for college students, which consists of government investment as the major source, complemented by multi-channel subsidy so as to ensure that college students from impoverished families could complete their studies.
Source: xinhuanet.com Aug. 17, 2015
A total of 20 million yuan from the welfare lottery fund has been allocated by Shaanxi government to assist students in junior college and technical secondary schools who are from low income families. The allocation of this fund will be completed by the end of August. Ever since the program of assisting college freshmen from impoverished families was launched by Shaanxi provincial government in 2001, a total of 61.7 million yuan of provincial welfare lottery fund has been allocated, and 14,468 students from impoverished families including those who live on the minimum living security system have fulfilled their college dream with the assistance of this fund.
Source: xinhuanet.com Aug. 11, 2015
This year, Chongqing Municipality has raised 811 million yuan poverty alleviation fund, and launched the program by villages in 691 impoverished villages. According to the schedule of municipal poverty alleviation and development plan, Chongqing will accomplish the goal of poverty alleviation by villages for 1,919 impoverished villages from 2015 to 2017.
Source: cnr.cn Aug. 11, 2015
Recently, a second round of 5 billion yuan special loan for targeted poverty alleviation in Gansu Province has been allocated to 36 undertaking platforms on country or district level by the Bank of Lanzhou. The special loan for targeted poverty alleviation is an exclusive financial product customized for 970,000 impoverished households and 4.17 million registered impoverished population in Gansu Province.
Source: China Daily Aug. 13, 2015
Xi’an has realized full coverage of financial subsidy for impoverished college students from rural areas. With national policy on assisting impoverished students on their study constantly being improved, Xi’an has realized full coverage of financial subsidy for impoverished college students from rural areas, ensuring that none of them has to drop out of school due to financial problems. Policies include: student loans provided by the education sector, the ‘Dewdrop Project’ proposed by the poverty alleviation sector, and other aiding policies by different functional departments such as civil affair, family planning, women’s federation, youth league committee, etc.
Source: Shaanxi Daily Aug. 14, 2015
Public Poverty Alleviation and Charity News:
Donations raised by the ‘One Step, One Change’ 2015 charity hiking program amounted to 2.5 million yuan. This program was launched by the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation in 2014. It is the first 100 km charity hiking program in mainland China. Up till now, a total of 20,266 donations have made in 2015, raising charity fund of 2.5 million yuan.
Source: chinanew.com Aug. 13, 2015
Sponsor: International Poverty Reduction Center in China (IPRCC)
Organizer: Poverty Reduction Research Center, Beijing Normal University, China
Contact: Han Mengzhen 84419871 Yu Man 84419861
Email: hanmengzhen@iprcc.org.cn yuman@iprcc.org.cn