BEIJING — China started work on over 12,000 relocation projects in 2017 to lift people out of poverty, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said on July 31.

This involves about 2.8 million people in poverty, with 20 percent of the projects completed by the end of June, the commission said in a statement.

A total of 22 provinces have received relocation funds of more than 260 billion yuan ($38.24 billion), of which 39.36 billion yuan are from the central budget and the rest by local government loans, poverty relief funds and central government loans.

China plans to relocate 3.4 million people from poverty-stricken communities to more developed areas in 2017.

China has vowed to lift all of its poor out of poverty by 2020, with relocation one aspect of its strategy.

By the end of 2016, there were 43.35 million people living below the nation’s poverty line of 2,300 yuan annual income as constant with 2010 prices.