China is facing a severe shortfall of social workers, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said on Tuesday.

At present, one social worker has to provide services for 1,000 needy people on average, according to Civil Affairs Minister Li Xueju.

China now has an estimated 22 million urban people living on minimum subsistence allowances, 65 million low-income people in rural areas, 4.6 million family members of soldiers, 573,000 orphans, 83 million disabled people, an elderly population of 143 million and more than 100 million people affected by natural disasters each year, according to the Ministry.

Many tricky social problems have emerged as a result of China's economic reform and social development, such as unemployment, a widening income gap, crime, drug abuse and mass protests, Li said at an on-going national conference.

A professional social service is conducive to solving these social problems at the "grassroots", Li noted.

However, poor educational background and lack of professional training have been hindering social workers.

Vice Minister Li Liguo said that the ministry would train about100,000 professionals and providing training to all its staff in the next five years.

(Xinhua News Agency December 13, 2006)