The Dandong Municipal Development and Reform Commission obtained approximately 910 million yuan ($144.24 million) of national and provincial funds allocated towards regional development in 2011, according to a statistics report on Dec 23.

The fund was allocated to six areas: affordable housing projects, projects to improve infrastructure in rural areas and farmers' living conditions, health care, education and related social services, energy saving sector, emissions reduction and ecological improvement, independent innovation and industrial restructuring, and the development of coastal economic belt and key industrial parks.

The Municipal Development and Reform Commission has been applying the funds towards livelihood projects since the second half of 2010. This is in response to the Chinese government changing its investment focus.

Funds of approximately 99 million yuan were acquired for affordable housing projects in Dandong last year. This benefited around 10,000 families living in poor conditions in Fengcheng county and the Kuandian Manchu autonomous county.

Edited by Chen Zhilin and Rakhee