Welfare lottery ticket sales in China hit 127.8 billion yuan (20.09 billion U.S. dollars) in 2011, a rise of 32 percent year on year, a bulletin released by the Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) said Thursday.

A total of 38.87 billion yuan of welfare funds were collected through the lottery sales, the MCA bulletin said.

Moreover, in 2011, civil affairs authorities and social organizations nationwide received 49.5 billion yuan in public donations, and the funds and materials helped over 14.59 million people in difficulties, the bulletin said.

The document also revealed that 9.5 million volunteers worked in the social services sector in 2011.