(File photo of People's Daily Online)

URUMQI, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region raised 4.17 billion yuan (about 627 million U.S. dollars) in 2017 in relocation funds as part of its poverty reduction drive.

The money, up from the previous year's 1.3 billion yuan, will go toward housing for 83,900 people who will be relocated from poverty-hit regions to more developed areas.

As part of Xinjiang's relocation projects, local authorities should ensure housing, health care and education for relocated people.

In 2016, about 26,100 people living in poverty in Xinjiang were relocated.

Xinjiang's relocation costs will likely be more than 5 billion yuan this year. In addition to funds raised from local bonds and loans, the central government allocated another 839 million yuan.