Shanghai will grant more subsidies to low-income citizens and elders so they can have a better Spring Festival, the Shanghai Labor and Social Security Bureau said.

Citizens who retired by the end of last year and have a pension fund, and those who have small-town social insurance and applied for a monthly pension fund by the end of last year, can get the subsidy, which will be granted before the Chinese Lunar New Year.

People in their 80s can get a subsidy of 150 yuan (US$19.3); men over 70 and women over 65 whose monthly pension is lower than 750 yuan, and retired cadres, can get a 100 yuan subsidy; and others will receive 50 yuan.

As for those who retired before 2007, they are offered a subsidy of 50 yuan each on the basis of joining a small town's social insurance system and by drawing their pensions monthly.

The city issued a government-backed policy in July 1, 2006, noting that people who retired before 2006 and are members of their town's social insurance can get a monthly subsidy rise of 40 yuan.

(Shanghai Daily February 2, 2007)