Hu raises poverty line by 92% before regime change
TNN | Nov 30, 2011, 06.16AM IST
======================================================
BEIJING: China has more than trebled the number of 'poor' people by raising the poverty line by 92%.
The move has both economic and political dimensions as it comes less than a year before the national congress of the Communist Party of China meets to pick new leaders to replace the Hu Jintao regime.
The move will be keenly watched in India, where members of the Planning Commission have been engaged in a public and judicial row over the definition of poverty. The new poverty line will raise the number of people Beijing officially terms 'poor' from 26.88 million in 2010 to 100 million, and make them eligible for government subsidies and support.
The new threshold for measuring poverty has been raised 92% from the prevalent yardstick fixed in 2009 to $362 in terms of the annual net income of farmers and other rural poor. It will enhance Hu's bargaining power during the crucial talks at the 18National Congress of the party. Former president Jiang Zemin had skillfully used his negotiating skills to remain the head of the central military commission even after he handed over the baton to Hu nine years back.
"Eradicating poverty, improving people's livelihoods, and prosperity for all is the fundamental requirement of socialism," Hu said at a national poverty-alleviation meeting in Beijing on Tuesday . "By 2020, our general target is to ensure the nation's impoverished will no longer need to worry about food and clothing. Their access to compulsory education, basic medical care, and housing will also be ensured."
Premier Wen Jiabao said the newly identified poor will be given access to poverty reduction programs.
======================================================
BEIJING: China has more than trebled the number of 'poor' people by raising the poverty line by 92%.
The move has both economic and political dimensions as it comes less than a year before the national congress of the Communist Party of China meets to pick new leaders to replace the Hu Jintao regime.
The move will be keenly watched in India, where members of the Planning Commission have been engaged in a public and judicial row over the definition of poverty. The new poverty line will raise the number of people Beijing officially terms 'poor' from 26.88 million in 2010 to 100 million, and make them eligible for government subsidies and support.
The new threshold for measuring poverty has been raised 92% from the prevalent yardstick fixed in 2009 to $362 in terms of the annual net income of farmers and other rural poor. It will enhance Hu's bargaining power during the crucial talks at the 18National Congress of the party. Former president Jiang Zemin had skillfully used his negotiating skills to remain the head of the central military commission even after he handed over the baton to Hu nine years back.
"Eradicating poverty, improving people's livelihoods, and prosperity for all is the fundamental requirement of socialism," Hu said at a national poverty-alleviation meeting in Beijing on Tuesday . "By 2020, our general target is to ensure the nation's impoverished will no longer need to worry about food and clothing. Their access to compulsory education, basic medical care, and housing will also be ensured."
Premier Wen Jiabao said the newly identified poor will be given access to poverty reduction programs.
=================================================
No comments:
Post a Comment