Training funds totaling 3.6 million yuan ($508,187) were recently established by the finance bureau of Baotou to provide free vocational skills training sessions for 2,498 poverty stricken residents in Tumd Right Banner Banner and Guyang county in Baotou, in North China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region, according to a report in the Baotou Daily.

Local officials said the funds are a one-time training subsidy based on the number of people and training projects, under the banner and county’s declared poor residents project system.

They said the subsidy funds will be allocated to the training institutions in advance and fully settled after the training programs are completed.

In addition, a subsidy of 100 yuan per person per day is given to attendees who have passed the training sessions.