China to Spend Record Amount on Tibetan Water Conservancy Projects

China will spend RMB 11.6 billion (US $1.8 billion) on the construction of Tibetan irrigation and drinking water projects from 2011 to 2015. The money will go to 16 categories of water conservancy programs that cover irrigation, drinking water, flood prevention and control, and hydropower. The water conservancy projects will enable all Tibetan farmers and herders to get access to clean drinking water upon completion, and more than 90 percent of the region's rural population will have access to electricity. In the first half of this year, about RMB 3 billion was earmarked for 129 programs, all but four involving new construction. During the 11th Five-year Plan (2006-2010) RMB 6.998 billion was channeled into water conservancy programs in Tibet, providing 1.62 million farmers and herders in the region with clean drinking water.