BEIJING - Local governments should increase efforts in building 10 million units of affordable housing this year, the China Securities Journal cited a senior official as saying on Saturday.

Jiang Weixin, minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, said at a national conference that all affordable housing units should be under construction before the end of October, according to the report.

The ministry will check the progress of these projects and complete inspections before November, Jiang said.

The ministry will reward and commend those that finish ahead of schedule, according to the vice minister Qi Ji.

Local governments should also step up the monitoring of projects to ensure quality, Jiang noted.

The country plans to build 36 million affordable housing units over the next five years.