Forestry workers to get better homes

China plans to move all of its forestry workers from shanties to 50-sq-m houses by 2011, the State Forestry Administration (SFA) said yesterday.

A government subsidy of 25,000 yuan ($3,660) will be given to all of the nearly 1 million families still living in makeshift shelters, in addition to subsidies provided by employers that will vary in amount, the administration said.

Forestry workers will only have to pay half price for new houses, which will cost 1,200 yuan per sq m, it said.