China plans to relocate 2.49 mln poor people in 2016

More than 2.49 million impoverished people will be relocated in 2016, in the latest effort to deliver on the government's target of lifting all people out of poverty by 2020.

The top economic planner, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), together with several other agencies, demanded that local authorities in 22 provinces and regions intensify efforts to achieve the target.

To support this, the NDRC has allocated 16 billion yuan (2.5 billion U.S. dollars) to the regions since March, and several loans and funds have also been promised.

Despite China's stellar economic growth over the past decades, there are still 70 million people living below the poverty line of 2,300 yuan in annual income by 2010 price standards last year, many in harsh conditions without roads or water and power.

The authorities describe eliminating rural poverty as the most difficult challenge in building a "moderately prosperous society," and the government aims to help the remaining poor shake off poverty and enjoy essential social services by 2020. Endi