BEIJING, May 31 (Xinhua) -- China had reported a total of 1,217 child welfare institutions by the end of March this year, compared with less than 300 in 2008, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said Friday.

About 68,000 orphans, or 22.8 percent of the country's total, were placed at the institutions, which offer over 100,000 beds, the ministry's child welfare department said in a statement ahead of the International Children's Day that falls on Saturday.

An official of the department said China had continuously strengthened social security for orphans and abandoned children in recent years.

The ministry has channeled 1.46 billion yuan (about 212 million U.S. dollars) of welfare lottery funds to help 163,000 orphans with disabilities receive surgery and rehabilitation services, the official said.

Starting this year, the basic living allowances given by the central government to orphans from China's eastern, central and less developed western areas were raised by 50 percent, to 300 yuan, 450 yuan and 600 yuan respectively per person each month, the official said.

Currently, China reports about 298,000 orphans.