The Chinese government is striving to improve the social security system in the rural areas to better protect the rights and interests of the farmers, said a legislator on Wednesday.

Oyunqemag, vice chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, reported that about 1,900 counties in 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities had established their own old-age social insurance systems by the end of 2005.

More than 54.4 million farmers were involved, with the accumulated insurance funds reaching 31 billion yuan (US$4.2 billion), and more than three million farmers now receive pensions.

Eighty-six million elderly people, almost 60 percent, live in rural areas.

Oyunqemag said an old-age security fund of more than 40 billion yuan had been raised in 2006 for the farmers who lost their land to industrial development or urbanization.

More than six million farmers had been covered by the basic old-age insurance system, she said.

A safety insurance program was launched in 2006 to protect migrant workers, who are mostly poor farmers working in cities.

By the end of October, 2.37 million migrant workers had signed up for injury insurance and 2.07 million joined the medical insurance program, according to the legislator.

"The support for agriculture, rural areas and farmers will continue to be the number one priority for the government," Oyunqemag said.

The government spent 339.7 billion yuan (US$42 billion) in agriculture, rural areas and farmers this year, 14.18 percent more than 2005.

(Xinhua News Agency December 28, 2006)