Yunnan province plans to spend 70 billion yuan ($11.37 billion) over the next three years on rebuilding quake-hit Ludian county.

The massive investment means that standards of living, as well as the economy and social conditions, will soon recover or even reach levels higher than existed before the quake, said the Yunnan Development and Reform Commission.

The money will be used to build houses, improve livelihood, relieve poverty, develop infrastructure, deal with any future disasters and encourage industries that reflect the local culture, according to the commission.