Over 2,000 China Welfare Lottery (CWL) sales offices in Beijing will act as temporary relief stations to provide hot water and food to beggars, vagrants and others in need, as per the direction of the Beijing Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau.

During the cold winter, beggars, vagrants and some senior citizens run the danger of starving to death. Temporary relief plays an important role in averting the risk. Apart from improving the quality of relief, it's also important to increase the number of relief stations so that they are widely distributed.

As the most widely dispersed institution in the city, CWL sales offices can contribute to building a broader relief network. Opening the sales offices to beggars and vagrants has increased the number of platforms for temporary relief. It will enable those in need of relief to be helped at almost every corner of the city in addition to enhancing welfare lottery's function of serving public interests.

In reality, many beggars and vagrants would rather wander in the streets than seek help from professional relief institutions as they have to go through a complex official procedure or there are too few relief stations. These stations should offer help more actively to those in need in order to improve the effectiveness of the relief system.

It is an international practice to use public welfare institutions such as welfare lottery stations as temporary relief stations. The practice has not only expanded relief channels but also improved urban services.

(This is an edited excerpt of an article originally published in Beijing Youth Daily on January 2)