The Bhutanese Leading the way.
There are 11 local area plans under Phuentsholing Thromde, of which only few of the local area plans have been implemented, like in a core town, Kabreytar and Pasakha industrial estate.
The rest 8 local area plans are somehow under developed and includes Toribari, Pasakha lab, Amochhu lab, Toorsa Tar, Khareyphu, back side of Damdara.
Phuentsholing Thrompon, Uttar Kumar Rai, said that they are going to give more focus more on those 8 areas for the development in the 12th Five Year Plan (FYP).
He said, “We are going to focus more on those areas with a given reason that they are paying a rural tax because there is no infrastructure and no development. Therefore, to reinstate that urban tax, we have to anyhow give the infrastructure.”
He said that the focus is more on bringing up the basic infrastructure in 12th FYP. He said that in some of the area they have not completely finished the local area plan.
“We have finished the planning and we have induced already, however, we have to do the demarcation and this is why we didn’t release for development. It will take three months to release for the development,” the Thrompon added.
Talking about the kind of development, Thrompon said that, in the extended area they will be bringing up the roads, drainage, water supply, public transportation and solid waste garbage management.
“When we talk about the development in core town, we only go for beautification and landscaping as there is other infrastructure put in place already, whereby in the other areas there is no use of landscaping and all before bringing up an infrastructure development,” he added.
He said that the development work is set to start from the coming financial year and though there is only six months to start 12 FYP, it purely dependent on government resources. “For now, government has approved Nu 2 billion for the local area plan for the 12th FYP.”
He said that the Thromde plans to set the priorities for genuine works required immediately, like road and water. The priorities were discussed and finalized in consultation with the people in the respective areas and with the local leaders including people from Thromde, and the fund will be mobilized as per the priority and need.
Meanwhile, Thrompon emphasized that Toribari, Pasakha is earmarked for town development in near future, as Toribari has lots of unused and undeveloped land.
He said, “Even if we want to construct a building it’s a plain area, whereas the lands in other places are all exhausted. Land is so much compared to other local areas and this is why Toribari has a greater scope. However, that doesn’t mean in 5 years time Toribari will be fully developed, it will take time.”
For now, Thrompon said that when it comes to development and public construction, everything is going in smoothly and as per the plan. However, he said that there are concerns on public transportation services aspect as it’s not going so well. “We have a plan to put in efficient public transportation plan in 12th FYP,” he added.
