Beginning this year, the Tibet Autonomous Regional government will allocate 25 million yuan (about 2.9 million U.S. dollars) a year to local culture development, an official said on Monday.

"Tibet has abundant culture. Our culture work should include protection of the traditional culture and development of modern culture," said Nyima Cering, director of the regional department of culture.

The govenmental investment had been put into various projects, including maintaining ancient buildings, development of Tibetan language, protection of the ancient books and the establishment of performance groups.

Folk bands, Web sites, novels, dramas and songs in Tibetan language had been encouraged, Nyima Cering said.

A series of new cultural projects will be launched and the commercial dramas will be continued in 2009, he said, adding that a new history drama will be offered this year for the 50th anniversary of the Democratic Reform in Tibet.

(Xinhua News Agency February 10, 2009)