A high CPI and the recent snow disaster have led to food price increases, consequently putting a heavy financial burden on college students.

The Ministry of Finance and The Ministry of Education have thus announced that college students will get a monthly food subsidy of 20 yuan, or about 3 US dollars.

The Beijing News reports that every undergraduate and postgraduate student in China will enjoy the government subsidy for the first half of this year. And according to an arrangement with the Ministry of Education, campus canteens will also be subsidized to minimize price hikes on food.

Zhou Jialun, a political advisor on national affairs from Tongji University, is quoted by the paper as saying the measure is merely temporary. He suggests that the canteen food prices stay in line with the market rate.