Acknowledging increase of impoverished population a pragmatic working style

Last year, the impoverished population in China didn't decline, instead it rose by 800, 000, reveals Liu Jian, Vice Director of the Leading Group for Poverty Reduction of the State Council. This is the first time in the history of China's poverty reduction since the reform. The gap between the income of the impoverished and that of peasant has kept on widening. In 2003, the upper limit for the impoverished people who have not solved problem of clothing and food is 637 yuan, while per capita net income of peasant is 2, 622 yuan. The ratio of the two figures is 1: 4.12, but the ration in 1992 is 1:2.45.

Hearing the rise of impoverished population from the authority shows the concerned departments are sober-minded on this problem. Admitting the rise embodies their pragmatic working style.

China has made great progress in eradicating poverty since reform. The impoverished population has decreased from 250 million in 1978 to 29 million in 2003. The population drops nearly 90 percent in a short period of 25 years. At the World Poverty Reduction Conference held in May, Premier Wen says China will take ten years to solve the problem of food and clothing. The future 10 years is crucial for China therefore. But some phenomena are still worrying. China needs double efforts to get rid of poverty.

The adverse natural conditions, and frequent occurrence of disasters are direct reasons for poverty. But the flaws in institution are the fundamental cause of the impoverished population. The rural-urban structure, incomplete social security system and allocating system have resulted in huge gap between the rich and the poor. Common people, especially the impoverished people, benefit little from the rapid economic growth.

The whole society, particularly the governmental departments have responsibilities in controlling the increase of impoverished population. Poverty reduction work must be done from institution. Priority should be given to problems concerning poverty reduction. In order to curb the separation of the rich and poor, the government should strengthen taxation regulating and enlarge the scope of social security.

By People's Daily Online