China raises pensions for disabled soldiers, bereaved families, ex-Red Army soldiers

BEIJING, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- China will increase allowances for disabled soldiers, families of soldiers killed in action and ex-Red Army soldiers by 15 to 20 percent, an official circular said on Thursday.

The new pension plan takes effect Oct. 1, the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the Ministry of Finance said in a joint circular.

Disabled soldiers (including police officers and militia members), will now receive an annual pension of more than 30,000 yuan (4,845 U.S. dollars), an increase of more than 4,000 yuan from that in 2010, the circular said.

According to the new standard, the annual pension for family members of fallen soldiers in urban areas will be raised to 10,480 yuan and in rural areas 6,030 yuan.

Veterans of the Red Army (the military forces of the Communist Party of China 1927-1937) will receive an annual allowance about 22,000 yuan, according to the circular.

The adjustment,the 18th of its kind for disabled soldiers since 1978, means the central government will pay an additional 870 million yuan.

The central government allocated 23 billion yuan in allowances for disabled soldiers, bereaved families, and ex-Red Army soldiers in 2011, benefiting 6 million, the circular said.