China steps up fiscal support for post-quake reconstruction

BEIJING, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- China has ramped up its funding efforts for the restoration work in the earthquake-affected provinces of Gansu and Qinghai.

The Ministry of Finance, together with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the Ministry of Water Resources, allocated a total of 220 million yuan (31 million U.S. dollars) of funds to help restore agricultural and water conservancy infrastructure damaged after a 6.2-magnitude earthquake occurred late Monday.

The funds will mainly be used for the restoration of greenhouses, livestock and aquaculture enclosures, dams, irrigation systems, rural water supply facilities as well as small-scale reservoirs, according to the ministries.

In addition, donations from organizations, enterprises and local governments have been sent to the quake-hit regions.

More than 8 million yuan of relief supplies and around 24 million in funding were donated to aid the regions, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.