BEIJING, April 5 -- China's central government on Sunday vowed to make more efforts to renovate substandard houses in rural areas this year.

Assistance should first be given to poor rural families who live in the most dilapidated houses or earthquake-prone areas to alleviate severe risks to life and property, according to a joint statement by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, Ministry of Finance and the National Development and Reform Commission, the top economic planner.

Local governments should complete the renovations this year, and efforts should be made to improve the efficiency of government subsidy funds, noted the statement.

Farmers should be encouraged to self-finance renovations on their homes with extra help from government-subsidized capital, social donations and bank loans, it said.

Priority should also be given to supervising construction quality and protecting traditional building techniques to preserve distinctive characteristics, it said.