China's work-for-relief programs created more than 2.53 million jobs for the low-income population, which resulted in a per capita income increase worth more than 14,000 yuan (around $1,968) for them, according to official data released on January 16.

The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), China's top economic planner, said that over the past year, the NDRC, together with other government departments, continued to promote work-for-relief programs by increasing special-purpose central government investment support and providing guidance to local regions to push forward the work-for-relief approach in major engineering projects as well as agricultural and rural infrastructure projects in different localities.

Through these efforts, employment channels for low-income rural populations, as well as for those who face difficulty in finding employers in urban and rural regions, were created, it said.

In the next step, the NDRC will continue to work with relevant departments and local governments to expand the scope of work-for-relief programs, increase the scale of labor subsidy appropriations, and give full play to the important role of the work-for-relief policy in stabilizing employment, protecting people's livelihood and promoting development, it said.

Work-for-relief programs refer to a support policy in which the government invests in the construction of infrastructure projects, and those who work on such projects receive remuneration, thereby replacing direct relief.