Full text: Report on China's central, local budgets (17)

The appropriation for medical and health care stands at 260.253 billion yuan, up 27.1%. We will raise per capita government subsidies for the new type of rural cooperative medical care system and basic medical insurance for non-working urban residents from 240 yuan to 280 yuan per year. We will extend the pilot program to insure urban and rural residents against major diseases to cover more areas, consolidate and improve the system of basic drugs and the new mechanism for running community-level medical and health care institutions, and accelerate reforms in public hospitals. We will raise annual per capita spending on basic public health services from 25 yuan to 30 yuan, and extend the coverage of certain services. We will continue supporting the implementation of major public health service projects, expand the scope of medical assistance, and offer more medical aid to people with special difficulties. In addition, the oversight of food and drug safety will be enhanced to protect people's legitimate rights and interests.

The appropriation for social security and employment is 655.081 billion yuan, up 13.9%. We will further raise the basic pension benefits of enterprise retirees by around 10%, and consolidate past achievements in securing full coverage of the new old-age pension system for rural residents and the old-age pension system for non-working urban residents. We will increase subsistence allowances at an appropriate rate and raise per capita monthly benefits for urban and rural recipients by a further 15 yuan and 12 yuan, respectively, in areas that receive subsidies from the central government. We will adjust subsidies and living allowances for entitled groups, and continue to give out Spring Festival subsidies to needy people, including subsistence allowance recipients. We will further improve the social assistance system and ensure basic living conditions of disaster victims. We will increase policy support for employment and lend key groups a helping hand in finding jobs.

The appropriation for guaranteeing adequate housing is 222.991 billion yuan, up 5.3% over the budgeted figure and down 14.3% from the actual figure mainly due to a one-off additional investment in building government-subsidized housing and supporting infrastructure in urban areas as well as renovating dilapidated rural homes made while adjusting the spending structure during budget implementation last year. This amount is also based on the consideration that there will be fewer government-subsidized housing projects in 2013. If calculated based on the number of housing projects that will be built this year, however, government investment is actually increasing. Priority will be given to investing in the construction of public rental housing and the renovation of rundown areas.