China introduced a set of measures on Wednesday to raise pensions for those retired from enterprises and increase subsidies for poor students.

The basic pension for enterprise retirees will rise by 140 yuan ($21) a month starting January 1, up 10 percent from this year, the State Council announced on Wednesday.

The State Council ordered that the pension be distributed to pensioners ahead of next year's Spring Festival, which falls on February 3.

The State Council also decided to expand coverage of basic pension insurance to uninsured employees and retirees of collective enterprises.

The State stipends for college students in financial hardships will increase by 50 percent on average to 3,000 yuan a year, the State Council announced. And senior high school students affected by poverty will also begin to receive State stipends of 1,500 yuan a year.

In addition, it extended tuition waivers to 4.4 million vocational school students.

(China Daily December 22, 2010)