Residents do festive shopping at Barkhor Mall in Lhasa, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Feb. 18, 2023. (Xinhua/Sun Fei)

LHASA, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region has announced plans to invest 13.7 billion yuan (about 1.99 billion U.S. dollars) this year in initiatives aimed at improving the well-being of local residents.

The initiatives include providing livelihood subsidies for border residents, supporting medical professionals in aiding Tibet, and upgrading the oxygen supply facilities in border counties and townships located in areas 3,500 meters above sea level, the regional government said Tuesday.

Standing on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau with an average altitude of more than 4,000 meters, Tibet experiences harsh conditions such as extreme cold and a lack of oxygen. For this reason, improving the well-being of local residents has been a top priority, according to the regional government.

A total of 630 million yuan will be allocated to support the construction of heating projects in county and district public hospitals, and the operation of community-level heating facilities.

Last year, the region implemented 38 programs to improve people's well-being. These programs included urban sewage network projects, rural road construction, and health check-ups for urban and rural residents.