Policy Address

III. Poverty Alleviation, Care for the Elderly and Support for the Disadvantaged

Poverty Alleviation

46.         The current-term Government is determined to tackle the poverty problem.  Our poverty alleviation policy is to encourage young people and adults to become self-reliant through employment, while putting in place a reasonable and sustainable social security and welfare system to help those who cannot provide for themselves.

47.         Last September, the Government set the first-ever official poverty line, which provides a clear and objective basis to review the poverty situation, formulate policies and assess the effectiveness of measures.  It will be updated annually to monitor the poverty situation and the effectiveness of our policies.  The CoP will continue to serve as the major policy platform to assist the Government in pursuing poverty alleviation initiatives.

48.         The initiatives that I put forward today cover a wide range of areas and will benefit various groups.  Together, they form our blueprint for poverty alleviation.

Contents | Next