BEIJING - China's Civil Affairs Ministry on Tuesday urged local governments to take initiatives and offer prompt aid to vagrants and beggars to help them survive the winter weather.

Dou Yupei, vice-minister of civil affairs, said at a national video meeting that efforts should be made to "ensure vagrants and beggars get prompt assistance and prevent deaths caused by exposure to extreme cold or hunger".

More temporary shelters should be built in venues visited by vagrants, beggars or migrant workers. Also, local shelter management authorities should provide round-the-clock services to those in need, he said.

Dou asked staff at shelters nationwide to improve services and offer "standardized and civilized aid".

Dou also asked local civil affairs departments to closely monitor changes in the weather and improve the aid service network by encouraging people from various sectors to help the disadvantaged.

Community neighborhood committees, social workers and volunteers could be mobilized to give emergency aid to vagrants and beggars if needed. Also, sanitation workers, bus or taxi drivers and security guards on night shifts could provide information as to the whereabouts of vagrants and beggars.

The comments came in the wake of two recent tragedies in Central China's Henan province in which a migrant worker and a homeless person, respectively, were found dead under overpasses in cold weather.

Much of north China has experienced extreme cold temperatures in the past months.