BEIJING -- The Chinese government will allocate one billion yuan ($162 million) this year from a special fund raised from lottery sales to improve elderly-care services in rural areas.

The money will be used in 33,300 under-construction and existing nursing homes and other senior-care facilities in the countryside to provide meals and recreational services for elderly people, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Civil Affairs on Wednesday.

Each project will receive 30,000 yuan in allowances to construct, renovate or equip facilities, the statement said.

It added that the program should expand the proportion of elderly rural people who have access to senior-care services by 10 percent.