BEIJING, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- China has allocated 6.8 billion yuan (1.1 billion U.S. dollars) from its central budget to help needy people in natural disaster-hit areas, the ministries of finance and civil affairs said Tuesday.

The subsidies will help those in disaster-hit regions, who have a lack of food and clothes for winter and next spring.

The two ministries also asked local governments to set aside subsidies equal to or above the central ones to help residents in areas struck by natural disasters.

China has witnessed frequent natural disasters this year, which have left many especially in some remote areas short of food and clothes.