“兩線合一”

2007年1月，中央一號文件要求“在全國范圍建立農村最低生活保障制度”，中國自此形成了以低保和扶貧開發兩大制度為主干的農村扶貧新格局。低保與扶貧開發都是農村扶貧減貧和脫貧工作的基本制度安排，兩項制度各具特點和制度優勢，可以形成政策效應互補的幫扶合力，在整體上提升農村反貧困效果。

然而，低保和扶貧開發是兩項不同的制度安排，兩項制度形成的歷史路徑不一，且有著不同的政策目標和政策手段。因此，切實做好低保和扶貧開發兩項制度的分工協調和有效銜接，成為打贏脫貧攻堅戰的重要決策部署。《關于做好農村最低生活保障制度與扶貧開發政策有效銜接的指導意見》要求，農村低保標準低于國家扶貧標準的地方，要按照國家扶貧標準綜合確定農村低保的最低指導標準，農村低保標準已經達到國家扶貧標準的地方，要根據動態調整機制科學調整。

所謂“兩線合一”，就是實現低保標準和扶貧標準的統一。自2016年1月起，農村低保標準達到每人每年2808元，與扶貧標準相一致，實現了“兩線合一”，并根據物價上漲水平每年進行調整。農村低保標準與扶貧標準同步提高，保障貧困家庭基本生活水平與全面建成小康社會相適應，主要是通過以下三條途徑來實現的：一是對有一定收入的低保家庭，據實核算家庭成員年人均收入，按照人數足額補差；二是對無勞動能力、無任何收入的低保對象，按照當地低保標準全額補助；三是對充分享受低保政策，足額領取低保補助金后，生活仍有較大困難的家庭，通過臨時救助幫助解決生活困難。

Unifying Two Standards

The No.1 Document issued by the central leadership in January 2007 required the establishment of a rural subsistence allowance system nationwide. This launched a new rural poverty alleviation structure supported by both the subsistence allowance system and development-oriented poverty alleviation.

These two systems have different features and strengths, and their integration will build synergy in providing assistance to those in need, and enhance the impact of anti-poverty efforts in rural areas. As they were originally formed in different historic conditions with different policy goals and means, good planning is needed to coordinate the two systems for effective results.

According to a document released by the central authorities on linking these two systems, where the rural subsistence allowance is lower than the national poverty alleviation allowance, the former will be raised to the level of the latter; where the former has reached the level of the latter, rational adjustments may be made if necessary. In this way, the two standards will be roughly unified.

Since 2016, the level of rural subsistence allowance has been raised to 2,808 yuan per person per year, the same as the national poverty alleviation allowance, and the figure will be adjusted in accordance with price rises every year. The living standards of poor households thus will grow in parallel with the country's overall progress in building a moderately prosperous society.

There are three ways to synchronize these measures.

(1) For households living on subsistence allowances despite other income, the per-capita yearly income of their family members will be calculated and any of the deficit will be made up;

(2) For people living on subsistence allowances who have no ability to work and no income at all, full allowances will be provided in line with local subsistence allowance standards; and

(3) For those who still experience severe difficulties even after receiving the subsistence allowances, temporary assistance will be provided to mitigate their problems.