Chinese Vice-Premier Hui Liangyu on Tuesday urged governments at all levels to concretely implement the newly issued regulations on providing assistance to the urban homeless.

"The implementation of the regulations is of utmost importance to guaranteeing the rights and interests of the urban homeless and to maintaining social stability, in the interest of reform and development," he said.

Hui made the remarks at a meeting held by the Civil Affairs Ministry to discuss the implementation of the regulations, which were adopted by the State Council in June and which will take effect on Aug. 1.

The regulations consist of 24 articles, which lay out guidelines for providing assistance to the disadvantaged.

The guidelines include the establishment and management of shelters, the type of assistance to be offered and the punishment imposed for those who fail to comply with the relevant stipulations.

Previous regulations on dealing with the nation's homeless, issued by the State Council in 1982, will be null and void as of Aug. 1.