URUMQI, March 14 (Xinhua) -- Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region will give more subsidies to nomads to help them settle down in one place and better their lives.

Government subsidies granted to per nomadic family will be raised from 25,000 yuan to 30,000 yuan this year, according to a newly-approved settlement plan released by the regional development and reform commission.

As one of the country's four major pasturing areas, Xinjiang has over 1.2 million nomads, most of whom continue their traditional nomadic life.

Xinjiang plans to encourage more than 760,000 nomads to settle down between 2011 and 2020. The move aims to halt grassland deterioration from overgrazing.

Besides housing projects, construction of fodder bases, water conservancy projects, and other auxiliary facilities will be carried out to ensure and improve the livelihood of the herdsmen.