BEIJING, Dec. 15  -- Despite China's rapid economic growth, a large number of China's rural residents are still sealed in poverty.

"A total of 3,917 villages have no power supply, affecting nearly 3.8 million people," Liu Shuwen, an official with the State Council office of poverty alleviation and development, said on Monday.

"Despite being the world's second largest economy, China is burdened with the heavy task of fighting poverty."

Rural people with an annual net income per capita of 2,300 yuan (374.54 U.S. dollars) or less are classified as poor. The country had 82.49 million rural people living in poverty at the end of 2013

"Aside from an electricity shortage, the rural poor usually have difficulty getting clean drinking water, education and medical care," said Liu.

The Central Economic Work Conference last week attached great importance to poverty alleviation and vowed in a statement to improve people's livelihood.

"China will beef up efforts to enhance basic public services and combat poverty," said the statement.