The Chinese government plans to rebuild three million dilapidated houses for people in rural areas this year.
According to the ministry of housing and urban-rural development, in 2008, the government carried out pilot projects to rebuild such houses in rural areas, Xinhua reported.
In July 2011, the ministry of finance issued guidelines for funding such renovation, with most of the investment coming from the central and local governments.
Over the past five years, the central government has contributed nearly 70 billion yuan (about $11 billion), while local government contributions was around 330 billion yuan.
A government spokesman said there were still around 20 million "unsafe" houses in rural areas.