In a development that would cause the government to revise revenue estimates and recalculate its expenditure for the next five years, both the 1,200 MW Punatsangchu I (P I) and 1,020 MW Punatsangchu II (P II) projects are expected to undergo huge additional delays. A government official, on the condition …

If all went to plan on the hydropower front, Bhutan would have come closer to becoming a self sufficient economy during the course of the 12th five year plan (FYP) period. But this has all gone ‘topsy turvy’ after the government received a recent report in February 2017 where of …

A big change in the 12th Five Year Plan (FYP) is the fact that the preliminary capital expenditure to the local government has been doubled from Nu 25 bn in the 11th FYP to Nu 50 bn in the 12th FYP. Of the Nu 300 bn 12th FYP the capital …

Dr Shacha Wangmo and her mother Tandin Bidha will be losing nine of their apartments in their building on March 30th 2017. This is because the building is jointly owned by Tandin Bidha’s other daughter Sonam Wangmo who Ap SP alleged took money from him and won a case in …

The 2010 Economic Development Policy (EDP) had a lot of grand aims but except for a few areas it failed to achieve most of its targets. The 2017 EDP document learning from the failures of the 2010 EDP has come up with a number of game changing and bold reforms …

And in the Education sector too One of the big reforms of the Economic Development Policy 2017 is allowing private investment in the Health sector. The EDP says that selective services in the health sector will  be opened to private investment and practices and the government will regulate the quality …

The Economic Development Policy (EDP) of the government says that the Tourism Council of Bhutan will draw up a strategy for tariff rationalization by 2017. The EDP says the government shall create conditions to allow more competition and greater choices for visitors which is also code for changing the current …

Three provisions in Bhutan’s umbrella Economic Development Policy 2017 (EDP) dealing with electricity trade clash with India’s  5th December 2016 ‘Guidelines on Cross Border Trade of Electricity,’ issued by its Ministry of Power in consultation with the Ministry of External Affairs. The EDP says that a Bhutan Power System Coordination …

NC to finish term by 9th May 2018 The current government has around 17 months left in its term before the National Assembly  (NA) is dissolved by 1st August 2018 to make way for the 90 day election period for the 2018 Primary and General Election rounds. A new NA …

A 5th December 2016 ‘Guidelines on Cross Border Trade of Electricity,’ issued by India’s Ministry of Power, in consultation with the Ministry of External Affairs has led to deep concerns and also a certain degree of confusion within Bhutan’s vital hydropower sector. The concerns are that since currently Bhutan is …