Nationwide campaign to help the homeless

A nationwide campaign has been launched to improve relief services for homeless people and beggars who have no means of support.

The campaign, launched by the Ministry of Civil Affairs and 10 other departments, urges local authorities to use methods including DNA matching and face recognition to help such people find their families.

Local authorities should also help people who have been homeless for a long time to settle down, the ministry said.

Police and city management organs should promote security management to reduce "professional begging", and avoid injuries and death due to frost and starvation, it said.

Civil affairs authorities at all levels should guide relief management institutions to establish databases on vagrants.

The ministry also called for improving the quality of relief management workers and care services, and the exploration of third-party supervision to oversee the operation of local relief management institutions and care services.

The campaign will end in June next year.