District family planning authorities in Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong province, plan to provide a monthly living subsidy of 1,200 yuan ($193) to 1,500 yuan to couples whose only child is disabled or deceased, starting from Jan 1.

The draft regulations, released on the Futian District Government's official website, stipulate that each parent will be subsidized 750 yuan every month if they lost their only child. Parents won't be eligible for the subsidy if they adopted another child after their only child's death. Also, the mother should be at least 49 years old.

The regulations also provide a monthly subsidy of 600 yuan to parents whose only child is disabled.

The draft is soliciting public opinions online.

Demographers estimate that more than 2 million parents on the mainland who abide by the family planning policy will be childless by 2020. Those parents will face many challenges in later in life.