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| Sixty-Two
Aid Projects The majority of 62 projects funded by the state departments and various localities announced for Tibet in 1994 have been commissioned. The projects, carried out across the region's 1.2 million square km are related to the energy, communications and telecommunications, as well as infrastructure construction, and various aspects of industry, agriculture, water conservancy, urban construction, cultural education, health care and areas closely related to work and life of Tibetans. Completion of the projects, which will involve a total funding of 2.38 billion yuan, will promote economic development and raise the standard of living in Tibet. Agriculture and animal husbandry represent the cornerstones of the Tibetan economy. The long list of projects include 13 items related to farming, livestock breeding, forestry, water conservancy and the processing of cereals and edible oils. Said projects, involving projected total investments of 600 million yuan, will help Tibet achieve self-sufficiency in staple grains, oilbearing crops and tea by the year 2000. The Mamlha Waterworks, the largest of the 62 projects, will focus on irrigation, power generation and flood prevention. The waterworks, which involves a total investment of 500 million yuan, will provide effective irrigation for over 100,000 hectares of farmland in the Nyang Qu River Valley and 40,000 more hectares of grasslands. The project, designed to expand the agricultural production system, will increase the per-unit yield and readjust the agricultural structure in order to establish a "Tibetan Granary." The Ministry of Agriculture project is expected to accelerate the progress of agro-technology and increase agricultural output in Tibet. Related projects designed to increase production and raise the quality of rapeseed are expected to help the region achieve selfsufficiency in oil-bearing crops and promote the development of intensive agriculture. Tibet has long been one of China's five major pastoral areas and livestock breeding will be developed to expand the export market. As part of the effort, the Ministry of Agriculture will fund development of the Northwestern Tibet Cashmere Goats Farm. The construction of livestock breeding facilities and the training of Tibetan farmers and herdsmen will be accompanied by the establishment of related purchasing and marketing systems. Stress will be places on the development of Gold Medal winning white cashmere products and the development of livestock breeding in counties located in frigid zones. The energy, transportation and posts and telecommunications sectors continue to be major bottlenecks hindering economic development in Tibet, and hence the sectors will be the investment focus of the Central Government. Twenty of the 62 projects will center on these sectors, with total projected investments set at 800 million yuan. Hydroelectric power stations with a total generating capacity of 30,000 kw will be constructed to increase the region's power generation by 166 million kwh. Telephone exchanges with a total of 20,000 lines will be installed to significantly increase the region's long-distance telephone services. Expanded industrial production will also create more employment and production will also create more employment and improve life in the region. The daily urban water supply capacity will be increased by 16,000 tons. An additional 400 hospital beds will provide Tibetans with greater access to medical care. Projects related to education will raise middle school enrollments by 4,900 students per year, and will in turn greatly enhance the education level of Tibetans. The 62 aid projects are also designed to improve the quality of life of Tibetan farmers and herdsmen. The construction of township-level radio and TV relay stations will provide coverage to 493 townships and 57 highway maintenance districts. Sales of TV sets to farmers jumped dramatically following construction of the Pozhang Township TV Relay Station in Nedong, southern Tibet. The Cabalha Township TV Relay Station in Quxu, built in only four months at a cost of 80.000 yuan, is currently operating smoothly. Solar powered radio relay stations have been built in over 20 townships throughout the region, with each station providing coverage to an area within a radius of seven km. The stations have effectively provided closer links between Tibet and Beijing. In the past, the people of Xigaze, the second largest city in the Tibet Autonomous Region, had only limited access to potable drinking water. The problem was solved in August 30, 1995, following construction of water supply and sewage project funded with a 26.1 million yuan investment from Shanghai. The happy people of Xigaze joined in spontaneous song and dance at the arrival of tap water. A large majority of the 62 aid projects are directly related to daily life of Tibetan people. For example, construction of the Lhasa-Shannan, and Lhasa-Xigaze optical cable projects have provided large numbers of people with access to the optical fiber cable communications network. Construction of the No.2 Xigaze Middle School, the Jiali Country Middle School and three additional middle schools allow more local children to obtain middle school education. The CPC Central Committee and the State Council announced the 62 aid projects during the Third Tibet Work Conference held in July 1994. The decision constituted yet another major step the Central Government introduced to accelerate development in the Tibet Autonomous Region. In addition to providing funding, Central Government departments and various participating provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions dispatched technicians to Tibet to assist with local economic development. The aid projects will provide the added benefit of training a large contingent of Tibetan managers and technicians. Forty-three aid projects sponsored by Central Government departments and participating provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions in 1985 are now producing untold benefits enhancing the production and daily life of Tibetans. The most recent 62 aid projects are on a much larger scale and stress the construction of infrastructure needed to ensure future economic development in the Tibet Autonomous Region. Sixty-Two Projects 1.Bumila Zangbo Gold Mine of Xainza |
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