BEIJING, Jan. 18 (Xinhuanet) -- The Ministry of Civil Affairs and the Ministry of Finance have jointly allocated 5.53 billion yuan (691 U.S. dollars) of subsidies to people with financial difficulties in 2006 and another 1.26 billion yuan as subsidies to help them tide over winter.

　　Li Xueju, minister in charge of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, and five vice ministers will soon lead special work groups to visit people in disaster-hit areas and poverty-stricken areas.

　　They will check up how government policies on helping needy people be implemented and what measures have been taken, an official with the ministry's general office said.

　　The ministry will also dispatch staffs to poverty-stricken areas to listen to the opinions of people in order to get to know their needs. Enditem