The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Applying and renewing licenses for business can now be done online, which means no need to go the trade office and stand in a queue to get paperwork done.
The G2C office under the Prime Minister’s Office launched a total of 34 online Government to Business Services (G2B) on September 15th to improve public service delivery by reducing waiting time and streamlining procedures.
“Hereafter business community will no longer have to wait in queue and even will not have to frequently visit the government offices which is a paper based and personality driven system,” said Lyonchhen Tshering Tobgay at the launch in Thimphu. “Such online service will reduce the interface with public officials, which ultimately will promote the basic aspects of democracy like accountability and transparency.”
The prime minister also said that the online service would help make doing business more convenient, bring down corruption cases and contribute to rapid socio-economic development.
In 2103, Bhutan was ranked 148 in the ease of doing business and in 2015 Bhutan was ranked 71. “With easy access to online service system, we must work harder to bring our ranking in the top 50,” Lyonchhen added.
The 34 online G2B services includes a wide range of services provided by the Department of Trade, Department of Industry, Department of small and cottage scale Industry under the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
Services include application and issuance of new license, renewal, change of license for micro trade, retail, wholesale, cottage and small scale industry.
On submission of documents and a proper verification by Ministry of Economic Affairs, online applicants for the service will receive a system generated text message through the G2C sms gateway to visit the nearest trade office for collection of their certificate and to make their payments.
Business community or any people looking to apply for license or license renewable can visit, www.citizenservices.gov.bt or to www.moea.gov.bt.
Sonam Wangmo from Samdrupjongkhar became the first person to obtain her business license online and she obtained her business license within 15 minutes.
G2C head, Sonam P Thaye, said one main obstacle of the online service was not having or poor Internet connectivity, and also illiteracy.
The next move of the G2C Office is to integrate the G2B services with the PM’s eDesk so that the prime minister can monitor delivery.
The Government of India supported the development of the 34 online services. G2C has now launched a total of 86 online services.
The G2C services were established to simplify and enhance delivery of the public services. So far, the project has studied more than 200 services across ten ministries including the Drug Regulatory Authority, National Pension and Provident Fund.
The newly launched services that were done in collaboration with the Ministry of Economic Affairs has been handed over to them.
This is a good news especially to us who always tired of going in the government offices . Glad to know that the community will no longer have to wait in queue and even will not have to frequently visit the government offices which is a paper based and personality driven system.
Congratulations to your newly launched website. Through this the application and issuance of new license, renewal, change of license for micro trade, retail, wholesale, cottage and small scale industry will be faster and easier.