The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Health Minister Lyonpo Tandin Wangchuk said the Ministry of Health (MoH) has received a list of 5,458 eligible applicants from the Office of the Cabinet Affairs and Strategic Coordination (OCASC), through the Department of Census and Civil Registration under the Ministry of Home Affairs, for the government’s childbirth incentive program.
Lyonpo Tandin said that although the list has been received, the ministry must ensure that public funds are distributed responsibly and reach the intended beneficiaries accurately.
“However, given the scarcity of public resources and the need to use the available resources prudently and judiciously, it is vital to ensure that every payment reaches the right beneficiary accurately and transparently before the financial incentives are paid,” Lyonpo said.
To facilitate this, the MoH, through its Department of Public Health (DoPH), is working closely with OCASC to verify and validate the information of every eligible applicant.
The verification process involves contacting each applicant individually to confirm key details, including their Citizenship Identity Card (CID) number, bank account information, current residential address, and the child’s birth order, and to obtain their consent to participate in the program.
The Health Minister explained that the exercise has required additional time because some applicants had outdated or incomplete contact information, requiring further follow-up to ensure that all records are accurate. Lyonpo added, “Participation in this incentive program is voluntary and not compulsory.”
He further said that the verification process coincided with the government’s financial year-end closing in June, which delayed the processing of payments.
As a result, the cash incentives will now be disbursed from the beginning of the new financial year in July 2026.
“To ensure that beneficiaries are not affected by this delay, and to honor the official launch of the program, all beneficiaries will receive the incentives for both June and July together in the first payment,” Lyonpo Tandin Wangchuk said.
Meanwhile, Laigden Dzed, Chief Program Officer, DoPH said that around 60 percent of eligible parents have so far confirmed their participation in the program.
He also provided a breakdown of the eligible beneficiaries by birth order, stating, “There are 3,696 third childreb, 1,253 fourth children, 364 fifth children, 98 sixth children, 36 seventh children, 9 eighth children and 2 ninth children.”
Based on the preliminary list of eligible applicants, the government expects to disburse more than Nu 54 million in the first round of payments.
According to the MoH, the final number of beneficiaries and the exact amount to be released will be confirmed after the verification and validation process is complete.
The scheme is a voluntary one and will be given to only those parents who want it.
