Subsidies for the disabled now available nationwide

BEIJING -- Disabled Chinese nationwide can now receive subsidies to help with the cost of living and treatment, the Ministry of Civil Affairs announced Wednesday.

Two separate systems, which provide subsidies for living allowances for disabled people in need and subsidies to cover the care and treatment for the severely disabled, have been extended to cover all the country's county-level regions, the ministry confirmed.

The systems will now benefit all of China's 10.31 million disabled and 10.73 million severely disabled, the ministry said in a statement.

In addition to these beneficiaries, a total of 11 provincial-level regions have expanded the programs to help disabled without fixed incomes or with low incomes, handicapped senior citizens, as well as those from families caring for more than one disabled people, the statement said.

As of the end of March, a total of 13.3 billion yuan ($2 billion) and 12.2 billion yuan of subsidies have been issued under the two programs respectively, the statement said.

China began to implement the two subsidy systems from Jan 1, 2016.