Beijing received 10 percent of the 10 billion yuan (US$1,631,881,500) fund allocation in key industrial zones to reduce air pollution in China after the Air Quality Index reached critical levels last Friday.

The amount is twice the budget set in 2013 at 700 million yuan (US$114,278,255), the Ministry of Finance reported.

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The goal is to reduce PM2.5 concentration by 25 percent in 2017. PM2.5 refers to the smog consisting of tiny particles 100 times thinner than the human hair and can easily penetrate the lungs and bloodstreams.

The Chinese authorities declared an "orange" alert after the PM2.5 level was raised to 500 micrograms per cubic meter. The World Health Organization estimated the data as 20 times higher than the recommended safe point of 25. The government warned its citizens through social networking sites many refused to wear gas masks as precaution.

Similarly, the central government allotted 8 billion yuan for air treatment in areas like Pearl River and Yangtze River within jurisdictions of Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, Shanxi provinces including some parts of Mongolia.

Ma Zhong, head of Renmin University of China's School of Environment and Natural Resources, said that the 10 billion yuan special fund should also be distributed to other projects such as the public transportation system.

Unfortunately, the current budget is way below the 18 billion yuan fund for public transport system last year and is still inadequate to support provinces boost local economies.

Based on WHO study last May, China ranks 14^th in the most polluted countries in terms of air quality with Beijing on the 77^th spot amongst other cities worldwide. Pakistan, Qatar, and Afghanistan are the three leading nations with highest concentration of PM2.5 particles causing an average of 61 to 78 years of life expectancy.

Tagschina air quality, air pollution in China, pollution levels in China