1.30 lakh Tibetans lifted out of poverty last year: China

Beijing: Amid the unabated self-immolation protests by Tibetens, China on Friday claimed that 1.30 lakh people were lifted out of poverty last year due to its "great efforts".

Through the efforts of the central and local governments, Tibet Autonomous Region saw a decrease in its impoverished population by 1.30 lakh last year, Tibet`s regional poverty alleviation office said. Statistics from the office showed that the number of impoverished people in Tibet had decreased to 5.83 lakhs in 2012 from 8.33 lakhs in 2010, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. The impoverished population is expected to decrease by 1.28 lakh this year, the office said. Tibet has made "great efforts" to find effective ways to alleviate poverty, including the establishment of anti-poverty projects and job training programmes, Chonyi Yarphel, director of the office, said. The construction of family hostels and food processing plants has proven to be a popular method of combating poverty, he said. The regional government has prioritised the allocation of poverty alleviation funding for border areas, pastures and other areas with adverse geographical conditions, Yarphel said. The new figures were released in the midst of continued self-immolations by Tibetans protesting Chinese rule in Tibet and seeking the return of the Dalai Lama. Over hundred Tibetans have committed self-immolations so far. The latest was reported two days ago when two youths self-immolated. China blamed Dalai Lama clique for orchestrating the protests to discredit it. PTI