URUMQI, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- The central government has allocated a total of 27.07 billion yuan (about 4.27 billion U.S. dollars) to northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to improve local people's livelihoods this year, the regional government announced Wednesday.

Of the total, about 7.4 billion yuan will be used to pay for health care and medical cost for people that cannot afford treatment, and 3.84 billion yuan will be used to support people facing financial difficulties, according to the regional department of finance.

Another 2.29 billion yuan will be used to finance renovation of unsafe homes in rural areas, while 1.16 billion yuan will go for helping unemployed people. The remaining 12.39 billion yuan will be used to cover other social security causes, such as supporting pensions and helping people with disabilities.

The funds will reach cities and autonomous prefectures across the region in early February, the department said.

The central government allocated 21.1 billion yuan to Xinjiang to improve people's livelihoods in 2017.