The government of the Tibet Autonomous Region plans to invest 2.4 billion yuan (about US$290 million) in 12 substantial social well-being projects this year.
They touch upon a number of aspects of the daily lives of Tibetan farmers and herdsmen, such as building roads, providing electric power to outlying areas, and opening schools, according to sources with the Northwest Information News.
Among other projects are the institution of hospitals, short-term popular science courses, and improvement of radio and television access in rural and outlying secluded areas.
To this end, the autonomous regional financial departments are expected to arrange 300 million yuan to back up five pilot enterprises to conduct agricultural industrialization trials.
As more than 80 percent of local Tibetans live in rural areas, the regional government is trying everything possible to ease the burden of local farmers and herdsmen and increase their income.
(Xinhua News Agency February 4, 2003)
