Tibet's regional chairman told Xinhua News Agency while attending the central conference on the work of ethnic affairs in Beijing, which ended on Saturday, that central government has allocated 6.4 billion yuan (US$773 million) for large-scale infrastructure projects.

Qiangba Puncog noted that the boost, focusing on roads, electricity and clean drinking water, coincides with the fortieth anniversary of the Tibet Autonomous Region's founding.

In line with the central government's emphasis on issues concerning agriculture, the countryside and farmers, over 80 percent will be used in rural areas to improve working and living conditions, said Puncog.

With 1.7 billion yuan (US$205 million) of the funds, roads will be extended to link every town in the region, he said.

"We will endeavor to enable 90 percent of common people in Tibet to have access to electricity during the 11th Five-Year Period (2006-2010)," Puncog said.

The 6.4 billion yuan is only part of central government's investment in Tibet; railway construction and some other large-scale projects are not included in the figure, he said.

He also said central government invests over 10 billion yuan (US$1.2 billion) annually in Tibet, and that this year, together with specially designed aid, overseas investment and private investment, it will receive over 16 billion yuan (US$1.9 billion) for infrastructure construction.

(Xinhua News Agency translated by Yuan Fang for China.org.cn June 1, 2005)