Govt pushing ISPs for better service and lower prices The country’s two largest Internet Service Providers (ISP) Bhutan Telecom and Tashi Cell are both in the process of enhancing their internet bandwidth in a major way. This is after the government since 2017 has been encouraging the two ISP’s to …
Read More »India sets up special committee to address Bhutan’s CBTE concerns
In what could be an important development for Bhutan’s hydropower sector, the Indian government has set up a special taskforce committee headed by the Power Secretary of India to address Bhutan’s concerns over its Cross Border Trade in Electricity guidelines (CBTE). The committee was set up on 29th December 2017 …
Read More »Govt pushing for substantial Chukha tariff hike and 2,560 MW Sunkosh project
As part of the 50 years of formal diplomatic relations between the two countries, the government has been pursuing a substantial increase in the power tariff of the Chukha project, and it has also been pushing India to implement the 2,560 MW Sunkosh. Chukha Tariff The Chukha tariff is supposed …
Read More »Amochu Township project scaled down for now due to loan concerns
The 1,146 acres Amochu Land Development and Township Project (ALDTP) estimated to cost around Nu 14 bn, and create a new township for Phuentsholing has been scaled down for now due to loan concerns. Though the Asian Development Bank (ADB) was interested to be the main financer for the project …
Read More »Govt makes discreet moves to contain Zhemgang dress code fall out
Zhemgang Dzongda now says DT resolution on dress code must follow national policy With the Zhemgang Thrizin, Sangay Letho and Dzongkhag Tshogdu still determined to enforce the 9 am to 5 pm compulsory ‘Gho and Kira’ dress code despite a national controversy, moves are afoot to try and contain the …
Read More »The logic behind Bhutan’s stand on the UN vote over Jerusalem
Bhutan decided to go for abstention in the recent United Nations resolution against the decision of the USA to establish an Embassy in Jerusalem, for carefully calculated national interest reasons. This is according to two senior government figures one of whom is in the Foreign Ministry but they did not …
Read More »PM writes to OAG & OL to ACC on Tsirang Cooperative issue
The Prime Minister has written to the Office of the Attorney General to investigate the Tsirang Cooperative issue and to prosecute it if anything is found. Around 400 villagers in Tsirang have been raising the issue of Nu 300 each collected from them to form an Agro Cooperative to avail …
Read More »No civil service pay hike before 2018 polls but new govt should consider it: PM
Dismissing speculation of a strategic civil service pay hike before the 2018 polls, the Prime Minister Lyonchhen Dasho Tshering Tobgay said these are just rumors and have no truth to them. “A civil service pay hike before the 2018 polls would be one driven purely by political interests and not …
Read More »MoEA to introduce non-subsidized cylinders option
The ongoing LPG cylinder shortage has not abated with rumors that there would be a big price rise for subsidized cylinders from January 2018. The Minister for Economic Affairs Lyonpo Lekey Dorji once again dismissed the rumors and said there would be no dramatic price changes from January. While rumors …
Read More »Sovereignty and Security: Main focus of His Majesty’s 110th National Day Address
The auspicious 7th century A.D Lhakhang Karp, which is home to Haa’s main protective deity and one of Bhutan’s important protective deities, Ap Chhundu, served as the venue of the 110th National Day celebrations. As people watched or listened to the important event in Bhutan on TV and radio and …
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The Bhutanese Leading the way.