The Chinese Federation for Disabled says last year the
government helped 30,000 handicapped rural people move into new
houses.
Starting from 2003, the central government used lottery funds to
help handicapped people renovate their old houses or move into
newly-built apartments. Local governments also contributed funds to
this project.
The Federation claims government-sponsored poverty alleviation
projects have halved the number of poor handicapped people in China
from 20 million in 1992 to 10 million at present.
They currently make up about one third of China's total poor
population.
(CRI May 4, 2005)