The State Council approved a plan to carry out work-relief programs in major projects in order to boost employment and increase incomes for local people, according to a circular released on July 12.

All regions and departments are urged to implement key government-invested projects through work-relief programs as much as possible, to help local people work near home and increase incomes, according to the plan proposed by the National Development and Reform Commission.

The plan clarified work-relief programs in sectors and key projects including transportation, water conservancy, energy, agriculture and rural areas, urban construction, ecological environment and post-disaster restoration and reconstruction.

Development and reform departments, along with other related departments, should conduct in-depth research and formulate the tasks and guidance catalog for key projects in various fields where the work-relief programs can be implemented, the plan said.

Major tasks include formulating an annual list of key work-relief projects, mobilizing local people’s participation mainly in counties, offering training for migrant workers and paying work remunerations on time and in full, the plan said.

The scale of investment in work-relief programs should be expanded, the plan said, launching a set of work-relief programs funded by central budgetary investment in building support facilities under key projects, while increasing the proportion of labor remuneration in central government funds, from over 15 percent to over 30 percent.

Financial institutions are encouraged to step up financing support for work-relief projects in accordance with laws and regulations, and various social forces such as private enterprises and social organizations will be guided to carry out public-interest projects in the form of work-relief programs, the plan said.