Poverty line may be raised

The government may raise the poverty line to enable more people to get State benefits to meet their needs, officials and experts said yesterday.

The State Council, or the country's cabinet, will discuss such a proposal by the end of the year, Renmin University of China professor Wang Sangui said.

Lu Yan, spokeswoman for the council's Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development, confirmed that the authorities were considering the proposal but declined to give details.