A SUB-DISTRICT OFFICE IN XIANGTAN, Hunan province, and the public health department of Xinzhou, Shanxi province, have listed families losing their only child as potential targets in their campaign against organized crimes. China Daily reporter Li Yang comments:

Absurdity often harbors rationality. Although the local authorities of the two places quickly removed the families from their "black list", their initial move has sparked public outrage.

More than 1 million families in China, according to estimates, have lost their only child mainly because of premature death or accidents. The family planning policy carried out from the early 1980s to three years ago stipulated that one couple could have only one child, and many parents who lost their only child during those years are now in their 50s or 60s without anybody to support them.

Until 2008, the central government did not provide subsidy to such parents, which has increased from 200 yuan ($29.73) to 1,000 yuan per month per person over the past 10 years.

Besides, the large amounts of fines, collected in the form of social support fees for years from couples that broke the one-child family planning policy, should be used to subsidize those parents who have lost their only child.

Given that such parents have been complaining for long, some local governments regard them as troublemakers. Still, it is ridiculous to equate them with criminal gangs.

The government should consider increasing the financial subsidy for such families. In fact, the government could customize the subsidy according to the different needs and conditions of the families, and mobilize social organizations and volunteers to provide counseling and company for the parents, particularly the aged.

In fact, many aged parents who have lost their only child seek more support from communities and the government.

Thus, apart from customizing its financial subsidy, the government should also raise the whole society's awareness about taking care of such parents, who long for love and understanding.