Tibet Economic Growth Expected to Exceed National Rate

Tibet Autonomous Region, perhaps the world's least polluted area, is expected to have a 10 percent economic growth this year, the seventh consecutive year to surpass the national average growth rate, according to regional chairman Legqog.

Tibet reported a 9.1 percent increase of gross domestic product(GDP) last year, compared with the country's 7.1 percent. And the region has basically achieved its grain self-sufficiency goal, said Legqog, who is here attending the 3rd Session of the Ninth National People's Congress (NPC).

The 62 projects in water conservation, power, transportation and telecommunications, financed by the central government and other provinces in recent years, guarantee that the region achieve economic prosperity in the new century, he said, adding that Tibet will inject six billion yuan this year into infrastructure projects at a time when the central government has begun implementing a develop-the-west strategy.

Tibet is expected to boast 25,000 kilometers of roads by year end, with electricity available to 85 percent of its villages and poverty basically wiped out, the official said.

Statistics show that herdsmen's and farmers' per capita income last year climbed to 1,250 yuan, up 9 percent over the previous year.

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