CHENGDU -- Southwest China's Sichuan province will lift the last 200,000 poverty-stricken people in the province out of poverty this year, according to the provincial "two sessions."

The province invested more than 150 billion yuan (about $21.21 billion) to help 500,000 people and 31 counties shake off poverty last year, according to the government work report at the local "two sessions," the annual meetings of provincial-level lawmakers and political advisors.

The province will explore the impact of COVID-19 on poverty-stricken regions and people, and establish and improve the monitoring and assistance mechanism to prevent people who have escaped poverty from falling into poverty again, according to the report.

The local "two sessions" discuss local economic and social development in the past year and make plans for the year to come.