Chinese to get spring festival allowances

BEIJING - The Chinese State Council will give away 10.4 billion yuan ($1.58 billion) to help low-income families enjoy weeklong Spring Festival, the China Daily quoted a report carried on the goverment portal.

The decision to issue the Spring Festival allowances was made at a meeting of the State Council on Jan 19 presided over by Premier Wen Jiabao.

It’s been decided that the allowances will be classified into three categories, as per which the low income urban residents entitled to basic living allowances will be given 150 yuan ($22.77) per person. Rural residents will receive subsistence allowances, as well as the elderly, disabled and teenagers who can’t work and have no income or family, will be given 100 yuan ($15.18) per person.

Senior village Party members who joined the Chinese Communist Party before the founding day of the People’s Republic of China Oct. 1, 1949 will be given 180 yuan ($27.33) per person as will senior city Party members with no retirement income.

The estimated 10.4 billion yuan in total will come from central state revenue and benefit more than 86 million people.

Payment should be sent to people before the Chinese Spring Festival, the State Council mandated with provincial and township officials setting up effective plans to ensure the timely delivery.

Chunyun, or China’s weeklong Spring Festival holiday, starts on Lunar New Year’s Eve - this year on Feb 2, and will last till Feb 6. Often it is the only chance for China’s millions of migrant workers to meet their families.