The Ministry of Finance (MoF) in a notification issued yesterday said that all books imported during 2015 will be exempted from both customs duty and sales tax. The notification said that this was being done to encourage Bhutanese to read especially in the context of the National Reading Year 2015. …

The Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa (DNT) has welcomed the decision of the government to remove the Foreign Minister Lyonpo Rinzin Dorji but in doing so has asked the government to look into other issues like BOIC and the electric car. The DNT release said, “Any form of corruption is an impediment …

The Ministry of Health has detected 29 new HIV positive cases from 1st December 2014 to June 2015.Of the 29 new cases 16 are female and 13 are male. As of now the total detected cases in the country since 1993 stands at 432 cases. 217 of them are males …

His Majesty the King visited the offices of the Election Commission of Bhutan, Royal Audit Authority, and Anti Corruption Commission, on the 17th, 16th and 15th of July respectively according to a post on the official Facebook page of His Majesty the King. His Majesty granted Audiences to the staff …

The largest-ever installed biogas plant in Bhutan in the National Piggery Development Centre (NPiDC), Gelephu aims to supply bio fuel, enough to replace 30 Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) gas cylinders annually, that would otherwise cost about Nu 15000 per year if imported. According to the NPiDC, as of now, the …

Lyonchhen Tshering Tobgay was called on by the Ambassador of People’s Republic of China, Mr. Le Yucheng at the Gyalyong Tshogkhang this morning. Lyonchhen extended a warm welcome to the Ambassador on his first visit to Bhutan and conveyed that such high level visits provide an opportunity for Bhutan and …

The expenditure in providing free health services is escalating yearly, in line with the annual per capital health expenditure, as pointed out in the “Annual Health Bulletin, 2015”. Ministry of Health saw the spending for health increase to Nu 3965 mn in 2012-13 from Nu 3587 mn in 2011-12. The …

The World Happiness Report 2015 which is one of results of the happiness resolution passed by the United National General Assembly in July 2011 ranked Bhutan at 79 out of 158 countries just two places above Pakistan. In response to a question on the issue the Opposition Leader Dr Pema …

The main focus of Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay’s annual report titled ‘State of the Tsa-Wa-Sum’ focused on the economy. Lyonchhen said that the economy was recovering along with which he laid out various economic activities, plans and priorities. Lyonchhen reminded the nation that two years ago the country faced unprecedented …

The Opposition Party in a press conference pointed out what they said were drawbacks, unaddressed issues and even repackaged issues in the Prime Minister’s annual report. Panbang MP Dorji Wangdi said, “I would like to respectfully say that the State of the Nation Report (SOTN) was much ado about nothing.” …