OREANDA-NEWS. March 21, 2013. Agricultural Bank of China Limited (ABC) has actively promoted the building of the social security system and the service system for the handicapped, thereby helping enhance their self-development ability by granting rehabilitation and poverty relief loans. By the end of 2012, ABC had extended a total of RMB340 million in loans for rehabilitation and poverty relief, up from RMB170 million in 2011.

ABC also extended loans to 42 enterprises and projects dedicated to aiding the handicapped in rehabilitation and poverty relief, thus benefiting 8,731 handicapped households with an increase of RMB8,990 in average household income.

ABC financially supports “social welfare enterprises + the disabled”, “industrialized enterprises + the disabled” and other industrial chain modes to boost employment for the impoverished disabled and to enhance their self-development ability. In 2012, ABC Shanxi Branch became a major supporter of Shanxi Kaisheng Fertilizer Industry Co., Ltd. The company provided technical guidance for over 100,000 disabled persons and invested RMB6.5 million, resulting in an increased income to the handicapped by RMB200 million.

As at the end of 2012, the company’s outstanding loan balance with ABC reached RMB36 million, among which RMB10 million was allocated to rehabilitation and poverty relief loans to the handicapped. Meanwhile, Shanxi Branch also granted RMB10 million in loans for the handicapped to Yuncheng Dexinlong Chemicals Co., Ltd. The aim was to raise income for rural households in need, especially handicapped households, by supporting business growth. Since then, the company has employed 81 handicapped persons and plans to employ another 30 in the near future.

ABC also steadily granted loans to eligible disabled households for rehabilitation and poverty relief in areas with government assistance policies in place and a sound credit environment. By doing so, it supports the handicapped with marketable production skills, sound credit to develop production and improve their living conditions and ability to participate fully in society. Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps Branch developed the “Rehabilitation & Poverty Relief Loan Scheme for the Handicapped” after consulting with the local federation of the disabled to ensure timely delivery of such loans. In 2012, it granted a total of RMB16.57 million in small loans to over 900 disabled households, resulting in an increase of individual household income by RMB5,327.