Another move by the Jilin government in its 12th Five-Year Plan guidelines is to see that incomes grow at least 75 percent over the next five years, based on last year's figures.

According to Luo Dechun, head of the provincial human resources and social security department, this is a result of the fact that, in spite of their rapid economic growth, wages in Jilin have been stagnant.

"We see the wage increase as an important part of the whole program," Luo commented.

The government says it will increase wages of low-income earners so that the lowest salary figure will be "no less than 40 percent of the average" by the end of 2015. The figure now is around 30 percent.

The lowest wage in the provincial capital, Changchun, is expected to reach 980 yuan ($148.9) a month, this year, a 20-percent increase over last year.

Pensioner's average payments this year rose to 1,278 yuan a month, a 13.5 percent increase over last year, and this is expected to exceed 2,000 yuan by the end of 2015.

Unemployment compensation on average increased 124 yuan a month this year, and medical insurance for urban residents has gone from 120 yuan to 200 yuan a year.

The government also plans to add 500,000 new jobs every year and to put 600 million yuan, over the next five years, into free occupational training programs for 800,000 people, every year.

Jilin has been encouraging its people to start their own business and it plans to hold training programs and small loans to back this. In a related move, it is looking at 50 business zones where college grads can start their own companies.

In five years, social security insurance is expected to cover everyone in the province.

"There are still some blind spots (in this plan), such as retired workers without health care and people with work-related injuries," Luo offered, but, "over the next five years, we'll erase these blind spots."

(China Daily 02/23/2011 page14)