A pension and social security plan for Guangzhou farmers whose land has been acquired for industrial or commercial purposes will be announced in March, according to news released from the provincial people's congress session Sunday.

The new policy may take effect beginning July this year, the Nangfang Daily reported, citing Fang Chaogui, chief of the provincial labor and social security department.

Guangdong now has about 2.8 million farmers who have lost their land. The province has already begun a trial pension and social security plan for them in Guangzhou, Zhuhai, Zhongshan, Dongguan and Foshan, providing social security for 780,000 farmers.

The provincial government will map out a guide for other cities based on the trial plan, Fang said. He said the pension and social security scheme for farmers should be funded by the government, farmers' communities, and farmers themselves.

(Shenzhen Daily March 1, 2006)