CHINA SETS BUDGET PRIORITY TO IMPROVE AGRI OUTPUT, FARMERS' LIVELIHOOD

BEIJING, Feb 1 (Bernama) -- China's central government is to give priority to
providing rural infrastructure and improving agricultural output and farmers'
livelihood programmes in the national budget.

Vice Director of the Central Committee Rural Work Leading Group Office of the
Chinese Communist Party (CPC), Tang Renjian, Monday told a press conference this
was in line with the State Council's policy document which recommended bridging
the gap between urban and rural development.

Tang said modern farming technology would be improved and subsidies would be
channelled for the purchase of agricultural machinery and to increase crop
output.

"Subsidies also would be extended for water conservation machinery and
facilities built by farmers," Tang said, adding that more efforts would be made
to strengthen financial services, including micro-credit loans and insurance
services in the rural areas.

Basic banking services should be made available to all villages and towns in the
next three years, Tang said.
-- BERNAMA