Economic Development and Reform Commission: 208 Million Low-Income Individuals Gain Employment through Labor-Intensive Projects by Mid-Year 2025

According to an exclusive report from Zhongtong Finance APP, in 2025, the Economic Development and Reform Commission will continue to promote labor-intensive projects with various departments, actively expanding channels for low-income individuals to gain employment. According to the latest statistics, by mid-year, a total of 208 million low-income individuals have gained employment through these projects, an increase of 32% compared to the same period last year; labor compensation totaling 223 billion yuan has been released, an increase of 34% compared to the same period last year.

Original text as follows:

Economic Development and Reform Commission: 208 Million Low-Income Individuals Gain Employment through Labor-Intensive Projects by Mid-Year 2025, Release Labor Compensation Totaling 223 Billion Yuan

To implement the spirit of the Central Economic Work Conference and the April 25th Politburo Meeting, in accordance with the relevant deployment requirements of the Government Work Report, the Economic Development and Reform Commission will continue to promote labor-intensive projects with various departments, actively expanding channels for low-income individuals to gain employment. According to the latest statistics, by mid-year, a total of 208 million low-income individuals have gained employment through these projects, an increase of 32% compared to the same period last year; labor compensation totaling 223 billion yuan has been released, an increase of 34% compared to the same period last year.

Implementing Labor-Intensive Projects on a Large Scale, Empowering 27.5 Million Rural Low-Income Individuals to Gain Employment. Currently, the Economic Development and Reform Commission is jointly working with the Ministry of Finance to allocate 295 billion yuan in labor-intensive projects for 2025, including central budget investment of 250 billion yuan (an increase of 180 billion yuan or 257% compared to 2024) and local financial support of 45 billion yuan. These funds will be used to support key village road construction, rural production road renovation, small-scale irrigation canal dredging, ecological slope protection, and other projects. As of the end of June, a total of 27.5 million poverty-stricken individuals have gained employment through these projects, with labor compensation totaling 24 billion yuan. At the same time, guidance has been provided to local governments to develop and implement skills training programs for workers, and by mid-year, a total of 250,000 people have received such training.

Promoting Labor-Intensive Projects in Key Engineering Projects and Agricultural Infrastructure Construction, Empowering 180.5 Million Low-Income Individuals to Gain Employment. The Economic Development and Reform Commission has jointly issued with relevant departments the "2025 List of National Priority Engineering Projects Implementing Labor-Intensive Methods", clarifying that labor-intensive projects will be implemented in 145 national major engineering projects and 7 categories of central investment projects. This will drive local governments to fully tap the potential for labor use in key engineering project main engineering, auxiliary construction, and site services, as well as post-construction maintenance. By mid-year, a total of 8,610 national and local priority engineering projects have been promoted through labor-intensive methods, with labor compensation totaling 199 billion yuan. Among these projects are the Anhui Second Phase of the Jiang-Huai Canal, which has attracted 110,000 low-income individuals to participate in construction; and road construction and rural infrastructure development projects, which have attracted 10.3 million low-income individuals to participate in engineering construction.

In the next step, the Economic Development and Reform Commission will further implement the decisions of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, working with relevant departments to strengthen and improve labor-intensive projects, accelerate the progress of already allocated investment projects, and continue to promote labor-intensive methods in key engineering projects and agricultural infrastructure construction. This will further expand employment opportunities and labor compensation, playing a countercyclical role in stabilizing employment and promoting income growth.