LHASA, Sept. 18, 2024 -- Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region has raised the rates of living allowances for disabled persons in difficulty and the subsidies for the disabled to seek care services by 20 percent in 2024, the regional disabled persons' federation announced on Saturday.

Drolma Tsering, vice chairperson of the federation, said that by April, the region had distributed 1.55 billion yuan (about 218 million U.S. dollars) to those entitled to the aforementioned living allowances and subsidies since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012, benefiting nearly 120,000 people.

Disabled persons in both urban and rural areas have achieved participation rates exceeding 95 percent in basic pension and medical insurance, Drolma Tsering added.

Moreover, the region has established seven special education schools with 978 students currently enrolled, and the enrollment rate of disabled students at the compulsory education stage (up to the ninth grade) has stabilized at over 97 percent, according to the regional disabled persons' federation.