Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) channeled more than 1.4 billion yuan (about 226.4 million U.S. dollars) raised by the lottery into public welfare programs in 2011, said a statement issued by the ministry on Wednesday.

China's welfare lottery sales will be used in public welfare programs. [File photo]?

China's welfare lottery sales hit a record 127.8 billion yuan in 2011, up 32 percent year-on-year, according to a news release previously issued by the Welfare Lottery Distribution and Management Center.

The lottery raised a total of 39 billion yuan for public welfare funds in 2011, the center's statistics showed.

The quota for the MCA to use at its own discretion was 1.43 billion yuan, which was mainly directed toward improving the welfare of the elderly, the disabled, and children, said the statement.

Of the 1.4 billion yuan, 858 million yuan went to providing care and rehabilitation to the elderly and the disabled.

About 400 million yuan went to welfare programs for children, including providing care, treatment, rehabilitation and special education to orphans, abandoned children and disabled children, among others.

The rest of the funds went to other public welfare projects aimed at improving people's well-being, said the statement.