China's top economic planning body is busy drafting detailed industry-boosting measures to shore up the country's nine key sectors affected by the economic downturn, as part of the government's latest efforts to arrest the sharp decline in industrial growth.

The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) is "racing against time" to devise industry-specific stimulus packages to help sectors such as steel, auto, shipbuilding and petrochemicals to cope with the economic slump caused by the global financial turmoil.

The policy, which is expected to be worked out as early as this month or the start of next year, will be announced in a "high-profile manner", 21st Century Business Herald reported, citing an unidentified source.