The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The main purpose of the Meet-the-People program is to allow people find access to the government so that grievances can be expressed says Prime Minister during the Meet-the-Press session held yesterday.
Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay said, “ We try our best to help the people through this program, it is actually to meet the people and there are some cases, where people are desperate and we listen to the people.”
The PM said people feel happy that there is a member of Cabinet listening to them. The most common issues raised by the people so far have been that of unemployment, land, census and citizenship, transfer requests and financial support for business initiatives.
As of February 28, 2014, 158 employment related applications were forwarded to MoLHR for necessary action, 67 census and Kidu-related cases were forwarded to the Office of the Gyalpoi Zimpon, 59 letters have been written to various ministries and agencies for necessary action, 55 cases were closed as the government was unable to provide solution or help.
The cases amongst others, included request for allotment of government quarter, requests for intervention by students who have been terminated/suspended from colleges/institutes on disciplinary grounds, cases where judiciary was already involved, request for visa to work abroad, and request for financial support from the government for education,
house construction or repayment of loan.
An official from the PM’s Office said that the number of people attending the Meet¬the-People program has more or less remained the same. The average number of participants for the last 27 sessions is 21. The highest number was recorded during the 2nd Meet-the-People at 55.
The Meet-the-People program is conducted every Saturday even if it coincided with public holidays. However, the Cabinet Ministers continue to conduct Meet-the-People program in different parts of the country while on official tours. The PM and Cabinet Ministers conducted 32 Meet¬the-People program, including the one held today, 33 Meet¬the-People program so far.
