Vice-Premier Wang Yang called for innovative policies to further alleviate poverty in backward areas on Sept 19.

Wang made the remarks at a work conference on poverty reduction in Lanzhou of West China’s Gansu province.

The Hexi and Dingxi in Gansu province and the adjacent Xihaigu area in Ningxia Hui autonomous region, plagued by extreme poverty, have witnessed China’s massive efforts to eliminate poverty for decades.

Wang said the governments should establish and update profiles of the impoverished population so that the state aid can be allocated in a more accurate manner.

“We should explore various ways to enrich the poor. For example, the governments’ financial aids can be used for the farmers to take up shares in leading local enterprises, which will be managed by people who know the market,” Wang said.

Additionally, the governments should also take measures to attract more credit funds and social capital to participate in the anti-poverty initiative.