By Hao Zhou (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2007-07-31 14:19

The Chinese central government will appropriate a total of more than 10 billion yuan (US$1.32 billion) to support infrastructure construction in rural areas, said Hu Hengyang, deputy director of rural economy department of the National Development and Reform Commission.

At a private enterprises credit building seminar held in Tianjin, Hu said that the fund will concentrate on promoting agricultural infrastructure including grains production, farmland irrigation, water conservancy, and improvement of agricultural product varieties and qualities, as well as agricultural structure adjustment.

The country is also keen on bettering the living and producing conditions for its farmers, especially on guaranteeing the safety of drinking water, and constructing roads and electric power projects in rural areas, Hu added.

This year, some 6.4 billion yuan will be invested to ensure drinking water safety for 32 million rural residents, and another 1.6 billion yuan to supply stable electricity for farmers.

Furthermore, the compulsory education, basic health system, and cultural constructions in rural areas are all ranked highly in the central government's agenda.