BEIJING, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has celebrated the National Day with the people and called for improvements to their living standards during a tour of drought-hit regions from Sunday to Tuesday.

    Severe droughts hit southwest China's Sichuan Province and Chongqing Municipality in the summer, affecting millions of residents.

    During a visit to Nitu Village in Nanchong City, Wen asked farmers about their difficulties and instructed accompanying local¡¡officials to resolve problems on hearing that some families lacked¡¡sufficient food since the drought began.

    He also inspected the fields and wells, pig pens and marsh gas pits, noting that self-help was the best way to recover their losses.

    Hearing complaints of bad roads, high drug prices and expensive¡¡TV charges from villagers in Tongliang County, Wen said the government had raised investment in rural infrastructure construction and services, with the aim to provide farmers with better living standards.

    "Farmers' words encourage us," said Wen. "Our policy of supporting the agricultural sector will not change, but will improve and be strengthened.

    "There is still much work to be done for the countryside. The government will give more support to help farmers live better," he¡¡said.

    The premier also visited residents in Hechuan City who were relocated from the Three Gorges Dam area and retired and laid-off people and a centenarian in Suining City and Chongqing. Enditem