Vice premier Hui Liangyu on Friday called for better management and supervision the country's welfare lottery industry.

A ceremony of the 20th anniversary of China's welfare lottery was held in Beijing.

Hui said the welfare lottery industry had made great contributions to the nation's public welfare.

The lottery has raised a total of 242.3 billion yuan over the past two decades, of which 80.9 billion yuan was raised for national public welfare funds, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

The ministry said the fund was mainly used for the development of social welfare facilities, education and health care for orphans, the elderly and the disabled. More than 10 million people have benefited from the funds, according to the ministry.

With the rapid development of the welfare lottery industry, this year the nation's welfare lottery sales are expected to exceed 60 billion yuan, said the ministry.

Civil Affairs Minister Li Xueju said the welfare lottery had become an effective force to promote the country's social welfare and would continue to make a contribution to building a harmonious society.

By the end of 2006, China's social welfare organizations had increased to 40,456 from 31,468 in 1987. More than 1.41 million people have been supported in welfare houses, a six-fold increase compared with 1987.

China launched its first lottery in June 1987. Lottery ticket sales are one of the major sources of funds for building community sports facilities and financing the country's social welfare programs.

China's lottery market has expanded quickly over the last two decades but the China Welfare Lottery Management Center still describes the market penetration of the lottery in China as low.

As in 2006, China's per capita lottery sale account for only 0.66 percent of the per capita net income, equivalent to only one to two percent of the world average.
 
(Xinhua News Agency July 28, 2007)