Local governments across China must provide financial aid so needy residents can enjoy the upcoming new year holidays, the National Development and Reform Commission said on Thursday on its Website.

In a related move yesterday, the Civil Affairs Ministry said the country will improve social welfare benefits for the poor, especially those in rural areas.

Shanghai and several other cities and provinces were already planning to give their low-income residents a financial boost prior to New Year's Day and the Spring Festival, which starts on January 25.

Shanghai will spend 350 million yuan (US$51 million) helping less-fortunate locals enjoy happier holidays. Seniors, the disabled and the unemployed can also receive a subsidy before the start of 2009. The size of the payments was not announced.

As Shanghai was chosen to aid Dujiangyan in Sichuan Province, with its reconstruction after the massive earthquake in May, needy families in that area will also enjoy the festival subsidies.

Meanwhile, Chengdu, Sichuan's capital city, will provide a 37.9-million-yuan government payout to its low-income residents.

Families in Chengdu who are on the so-called "five guarantees" list, which provides food, clothing, medical care, housing and burial expenses, will each get a 100-yuan shopping coupon.

East China's Jiangsu Province plans to give needy families 100 yuan per person for the Spring Festival.

The Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has offered each of its low-income residents up to 100 yuan in cash. The big red envelop will cost the local government 212.46 million yuan.

Meanwhile, Civil Affairs Minister Li Xueju said yesterday during a national work conference in Guangzhou that the rural minimum living allowance system must be supplemented with larger subsidies from the central and provincial budgets to provide improved benefits.

About 39 million farmers, or 4.4 percent of China's rural population, receive a monthly subsidy, but the allowance system does not cover all economically challenged farmers.

He urged local authorities to offer financial support for poor families during the Spring Festival season to ensure they can enjoy a "warm winter," Xinhua news agency reported.

He also urged the establishment of a national minimum allowance for the country's 600,000 orphans in rural areas and the provision of shelter and medical assistance to all orphans, elderly people with no children and disabled people who have no relatives in the country.

China has more than 150 million people over age 60 and a handicapped population of 83 million.

The ministry should strive to allow all these people to "enjoy the fruits of China's reform and opening drive," Li said. China will also raise subsidies for retired and disabled service people, and family members of deceased soldiers, he said.

(Shanghai Daily December 26, 2008)