The Second National Sampling Survey of Disabled has been going on smoothly and in accordance with its timetable as 60,000 investigators are currently busy visiting 2.6 million households in cities and villages.

So far, the investigators have completed half of their household interviews, according to an official with the China Disabled Persons' Federation (CDPF).

Feng Shi, a public relations official of the office in charge of the survey attributed the smooth operation of the survey to the joint efforts of government departments and the families involved.

The survey will be conducted in 724 counties throughout the country, and every county has selected eight smaller zones, each with 420-450 residents, in both urban and rural areas. All the samples were selected randomly, according to Feng. 

China's first survey of handicapped people was in 1987 and the current one aims to look into the difficulties facing the disabled population and give the government a better understanding of their plight.

(Xinhua News Agency April 26, 2006)