Ningbo in East China's Zhejiang province bring non-local workers back to the city by chartered trains in 2020. [Photo/cnnb.com.cn]

A total of 3,053 non-local workers will be brought back to Ningbo in East China's Zhejiang province by chartered trains from Feb 21 to Feb 23, according to local media reports.

The city has chartered the G7669 bullet train which will depart from Anhui province on Feb 21. The train consists of 16 carriages.

Local authorities have also chartered 29 carriages on 11 trains that will depart from the provinces of Anhui, Henan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Sichuan, Jiangsu, Hunan and Jiangxi. 

Passengers can alight at stations including Yuyao North Station, Ningbo South Station and Ninghai Station.

Earlier this year, local authorities rolled out a guideline to encourage non-local employees to spend the Spring Festival holiday in the city. Incentives including cash rewards and free lodging and accommodation have proved to be effective in encouraging them to stay put.

Statistics show that a total of 1.295 million employees from outside the city had stayed in the city for the holiday, accounting for 51 percent of the total and an increase of 666,000 over 2020.

On Feb 6, the local government unveiled a series of measures to help enterprises stabilize employment during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Authorities pledged to cover half of the costs, up to 200,000 yuan ($30,769.23), incurred by companies that bring non-local workers back to the city by chartered vehicles from Feb 11 to March 31.

Over the same period, jobseekers in the city are entitled to a government subsidy of up to 500 yuan.

Local human resources agencies will also be subsidized for helping local non-public enterprises hire new employees. A subsidy of 500 yuan per person will be granted on the condition that new employees are hired and pay social insurance premiums for more than three months.