Over 6.5 mln bid farewell to poverty in central Chinese province

Staff members sort apples at a company in Shangge Township of Luoning County, central China's Henan Province, Oct. 14, 2019. Luoning County has been committed to developing apple planting industry, as a way to help local farmers lift out of poverty. (Xinhua/Li An)

A total of 6.51 million people in central China's Henan Province have shaken off poverty, the provincial anti-poverty authority said.

Guo Kuili, deputy head of the provincial poverty relief office, said future anti-poverty work will focus on the elderly, the severely disabled and the severely ill.

The province still has 350,000 people living in poverty, according to official sources.

Guo said more jobs will be created and support measures introduced to help rural people get rich instead of returning to poverty.