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)