17 counties in Hubei cast off poverty

WUHAN, April 30 (Xinhua) -- Seventeen counties or county-level cities and districts in central China's Hubei Province have reached certain development levels and will no longer be labeled "poor," the provincial government announced Tuesday.

The 10 state-level and seven provincial-level poverty-stricken counties, including Yangxin, Danjiangkou, Baokang and others, have passed strict reviews by poverty relief offices at various levels, the announcement said.

All the counties were urged to continue helping low-income groups improve their living standards, and take proper measures to consolidate achievements in poverty reduction.