The province has invested nearly 6 billion yuan (some US$723 million) in local poverty alleviation projects since 1994, to improve infrastructure facilities and support agriculture,animal husbandry and township enterprises in poverty-stricken areas in the inland province.

These poverty alleviation projects include more than 1.1 million mu (73,000 hectares) of terraced farmland, 7.66 million mu(510,000 hectares) of grassland and 1.63 million sq m of animal stables, 4,300 km of roads and some 8,400 km of electricity wires.

In addition, 745 water-supply projects were built for more thanone million people and 4.4 million head of livestock.

More measures were taken from 2000 to 2003 to guarantee food and housing for the needy in the province.

(Xinhua News Agency February 25, 2004)