Chongqing Municipal Government Information Office held a series of themed press conferences on “Completing the ’14th Five-Year Plan’ with High Quality and Writing the Chongqing Chapter of Chinese-style Modernization”. The head of Chongqing Civil Affairs Bureau presented the “report card” of Chongqing’s civil affairs development during the “14th Five-Year Plan” period.
During the “14th Five-Year Plan” period, the Chongqing civil affairs system has continuously strengthened inclusive, basic, and essential livelihood development.
“Ensuring that the elderly have a happy and healthy later life has always been our goal.” By the end of 2024, the number of people aged 60 and above in Chongqing reached 8.01 million, with an aging rate of 25.11%, which is 3.1 percentage points higher than the national average. In deepening the development of elderly care services, Chongqing has focused on inclusive elderly care, addressing the urgent and difficult needs of the elderly, continuously improving elderly care services, and issuing a basic elderly care service list. Twenty items, including material assistance and care services, have been included in the government-supported basic service content.
To meet the elderly’s desire to receive care “at their doorstep”, local authorities have revitalized idle resources, establishing 955 township (street) elderly care service centers and 2,871 community elderly care service stations. Additionally, 1,733 elderly canteens and meal assistance sites have been set up using elderly care facilities and idle assets, covering 88.6% of streets and 35.1% of townships. Some districts and counties also support meal delivery services, serving over 10,000 elderly people daily.
Addressing the care needs of disabled elderly, on the basis of the long-term care insurance system, Chongqing took the lead nationwide in piloting a consumption subsidy policy for moderately and severely disabled elderly, effectively meeting their essential care needs. Disabled elderly choosing institutional care or community home care can receive monthly subsidies of up to 800 yuan and 500 yuan, respectively. Furthermore, Chongqing has introduced a system where high-age allowances are automatically granted without application, allowing all elderly aged 80 and above to receive corresponding allowances without needing to apply.
Since the “14th Five-Year Plan” began, the Chongqing civil affairs system has focused on improving people’s livelihoods. Social assistance emphasizes “precision”, ensuring that 952,000 low-income and special hardship individuals have enough to eat and wear. Reforms in tiered and classified social assistance have been deepened, with strengthened dynamic monitoring and joint assistance for low-income populations. Over the past five years, urban and rural subsistence allowance standards have been raised to 770 yuan and 630 yuan, respectively, and the special hardship support standard has been increased to 1,001 yuan.
Chongqing took the lead nationwide in including left-behind children in urban areas in care and protection programs. 260,000 children in difficult situations and left-behind children are growing up happily in the “Companionship for Children” mental health care project. Focusing on rehabilitation and social integration for people with disabilities, the local area has built the “Yukang Home” service brand. Since the “14th Five-Year Plan” began, cumulative services have been provided to 56,000 community rehabilitation patients with mental disorders. “Living subsidies for people with disabilities in difficulty” and “nursing subsidies for severely disabled people” cover 512,000 individuals, providing strong support for the livelihood security of people with disabilities. As one of the first provinces and cities to carry out cross-province marriage registration for mainland residents, over 120,000 couples have obtained marriage certificates locally without having to “travel for love”.
The Chongqing civil affairs system has also actively explored digital empowerment services. “Yuyue Assistance Connect” enables people in difficulty to apply for social assistance around the clock, with transparent and trackable processing progress. Since its launch, it has served over 14 million people in need. “Yuyue Elderly Care” has been included in the national pilot for the basic elderly care service comprehensive platform, providing smart meal assistance services to 2.43 million people.