52 counties named as work priorities to eradicate poverty

The Chinese government will put the remaining 52 counties listed as impoverished areas as work priorities to achieve the goal of poverty eradication nationwide by the end of 2020, Wang Chunyan, a senior official from the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development, said at a news conference on Wednesday.

The 52 counties have not been impacted hard by the epidemic, with just 11 confirmed cases from impoverished households, who have all recovered, she said.
"We are confident that the 52 counties will be lifted out of poverty as the government scheduled," she added.

In China, in addition to the requirement of meeting the national poverty line, which is an annual income of 2,300 yuan a year in 2010 and adjusted regularly for purchasing power parity over the years, the central government has introduced other criteria for shaking off poverty: Being free of worrying about food and clothing, and having access to compulsory education, healthcare, safe housing and safe drinking water.

She cited a survey on the 52 counties by the office saying that as of Monday, the difficulties to be solved include about 370 children who are not receiving free compulsory education, 83,000 people still living in dangerous houses, about 15,300 people who have no access to safe drinking water, and 100,000 people who have not moved out from inhabitable areas into new apartments arranged by the government.

She said that the office is ready to settle these problems properly by the end of June.