Tibet's
regional chairman told Xinhua News Agency while attending?the
central conference on the work of ethnic affairs?in Beijing,
which ended on Saturday, that central government has allocated 6.4
billion yuan (US$773 million) for large-scale infrastructure
projects.
Qiangba Puncog noted that the boost, focusing on
roads, electricity and clean drinking water, coincides with the
fortieth anniversary of the Tibet Autonomous Region's founding.
In line with the central government's emphasis on
issues concerning agriculture, the countryside and farmers, over 80
percent will be used in rural areas to improve working and living
conditions, said Puncog.
With 1.7 billion yuan (US$205 million) of the
funds, roads will be extended to link every town in the region, he
said.
"We will endeavor to enable 90 percent of common
people in Tibet to have access to electricity during the 11th
Five-Year Period (2006-2010),"?Puncog said.
The 6.4 billion yuan is only part of central
government's investment in Tibet; railway construction and some
other large-scale projects are not included in the figure, he
said.
He also said central government invests over 10
billion yuan (US$1.2 billion) annually in Tibet, and that this
year, together with specially designed aid, overseas investment and
private investment, it will receive over 16 billion yuan (US$1.9
billion) for infrastructure construction.
(Xinhua News Agency translated by Yuan Fang for
China.org.cn June 1, 2005)