The Chinese central government adopted on Wednesday a draft regulation on aid
to vagrants and beggars in urban areas and measures to improve workplace safety
at coal mines.
The executive meeting of the State Council, presided over by Premier Wen
Jiabao on Wednesday, held that the regulation the central government issued in
1982 on housing and sending back vagrants and beggars in urban areas is no
longer suitable for the current situation.
Officials attending the meeting said that great changes had taken place in
economic and social fields and the situation with regard to the flow of migrant
population had also changed significantly during the past two decades.
The draft regulation was designed to resolve the problem of vagrants and
beggars in urban areas and improve social relief mechanisms and related
regulations, the meeting concluded.
It was decided that the existing regulation should be done away with and a
new regulation adopted, to be made public for implementation after further
revision.
Also adopted at the meeting was a decision to take additional effective
measures to reduce coal mine accidents, including increased funding to improve
workplace safety for coal miners.
Meanwhile, the government officials attending the meeting adopted a draft law
on public facilities for cultural activities and physical exercises, which is
expected to be issued after additional revision.
