Six Years Saw 410 Thousand Tibetans Throw off PovertySome 410 thousand people in Tibet now have adequate food to eat and clothing to wear after the implementation of the Seven-year Priority Poverty Relief Program some six years ago. The poverty-stricken population has now reduced to around 70 thousand from 480 thousand.Over the past six years, the local government has paid great attention to increasing farmers' income with efforts exerted to improve the production conditions and infrastructure of the rural areas and grassland in so far as its water conservancy, transportation, energy, culture and education, sanitation and so on are concerned. Recent years have seen some 1.22 bn yuan in total allocated by the central government as development fund to this autonomous region with another 116 million yuan afforded by the local government itself, and still another 125 million yuan pooled in from all works of life, enterprises and groups. In the process of practicing poverty relief program, the local government laid emphasis on disseminating practical science and technology among farmers and herdsmen, helping them develop market-centered economy. Meanwhile, credit loans of a small quantum were put on a trial move, which has contributed a lot to help lift impoverished villagers out of poverty. With the extending of this program, the income of people has been increased year by year. The annual per-capita income among 18 districts has risen from 725 yuan in 1994 to 1316 yuan in 2000. The situation in education, culture and sanitation has also witnessed a notable improvement with the illiteracy and half-illiteracy population dropped six percentage points and the enrollment ratio of schooling children raised greatly. In addition, the coverage of broadcasting and TV has been raised respectively to 65 and 55 percent and 72.2 percent of towns and villages have set up clinics and hospitals.
By PD Online staff member Yin Zhili | |
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