All levels of government have teamed up to dole out more than
7.1 billion yuan (US$855.42 million) during the first half of this
year to help more than 21 million Chinese urban residents who are
living below the minimum standard of living.
Statistics released recently by the Ministry of Civil Affairs
showed that the country's average per capita monthly stipend was 55
yuan (US$6.63).
The 231-yuan stipend issued in Beijing (US$27.8) was the highest
average per capita monthly allowance of all provinces,
municipalities and autonomous regions.
Shanghai ranks second with 138 yuan (US$16.63), while the lowest
figure was 35 yuan (US$4.22) in north China's Hebei Province.
With a pilot program started in Shanghai in 1993, the basic
living allowance has now spread across China and stands as the most
basic form of governmental social assistance.
The minimum standard of living varies in different regions,
depending on the local costs of living. All urban households with a
per capita income below the standard are eligible for the
stipend.
Over the past three years, official investment in the program
has witnessed rapid increases, with contributions from central and
local governments totaling only 3.76 billion yuan (about US$453
million) in 2000.
Urban poverty mainly is considered to stem from enterprise
restructuring about 10 years ago, when the phenomenon of laying off
workers and unemployment appeared in China.
"They are poor because of a lack of job opportunities,'' said
Tang Jun, vice-director of the Social Policy Research Center under
the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences said.
According to Tang, 75 per cent of impoverished urban residents
are laid-off workers, unemployed people and employees in troubled
enterprises.
However, an incursion of rural workers into the labor market in
the cities have made prospects bleak for those seeking to return to
the workforce.
But the government's policies to raise the minimum standard of
living for city residents, guarantees that a basic living allowance
for the needy will be provided, said Tang.
"However, medical treatment is the biggest problem for those
people now,'' said Tang. "And another problem is education fees for
their children.''
According to relevant rules, education fees for children from
impoverished families should be cut or waived.
"But during our investigation, we found that many places didn't
enforce these rules and some children hide the truth from their
families owing to self-esteem issues,'' said Tang.
(China Daily July 28, 2003)