In most cases the royalty rates are being doubled   The Department of Geology and Mines (DGM) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MoEA) has proposed a significant increase in the mining royalty and mineral rent saying that a revision is long overdue and would have a good impact on …

With the Indian army’s ongoing operations against NDFB(S) the RBA is intensively patrolling the Bhutan-Assam border to prevent entry of militants   Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, in an interview with The Bhutanese, said that the main reason for putting on hold the 68.3 km Nanglam-Dewathang highway and cancelling the 98 …

A request of around Nu 16 mn is being put up to the government   After two historical wins against Sri Lanka, Bhutan’s national football team is now in the second round of the FIFA World Cup where it will end up playing around eight matches of which around four …

Good performers can replace existing members of the national team Though Bhutan’s current national football team may have won two spectacular games against Sri Lanka the places of its players are not yet assured on the team. This is because the final national team to play in the second round …

One of the biggest issues in Bhutan’s conservation story so far has been the sacrifices made by local communities, farmers and the nation to protect Bhutan’s pristine forests with little or no economic returns. It now appears that the world is starting to ‘put its money where its mouth is,’ …

A survey conducted by the Ministry of Health in July-August 2014 on the orders of the cabinet showed that 16.97 percent of rural households in Bhutan are not getting access to drinking water. The survey was conducted using Dzongkhag and Gewog officials. This means that out of a total of …

A parallel and related proposal to revise the royalty rates on minerals is also on the cards   The draft Mineral Development Policy (MDP) is on the verge of celebrating its sixth birthday as a draft, but the latest version has some interesting changes which if finalized could bring substantial …

MoEA Minister also refutes allegations made against him by the Opposition Reacting to the stand taken by the Opposition party on the RCSC’s decision to reassign the three secretaries, the Prime Minister Lyonchhen Tshering Tobgay said that it was meaningless on one hand and damaging on the other hand. “They …

I n response to a question from the writer on the drinking and irrigation water problem facing Bhutan, the Prime Minister Lyonchhen Tshering Tobgay admitted that both drinking and irrigation water were major issues and a lot needed   to be done. In the case of urban areas the PM said …

The Sales Tax will be only be refunded once the Entitlement Bill receives Royal assent According to a senior official in the Ministry of Finance, the Department of Revenue and Customs (DRC) will be asking the three MPs who imported Prado’s over a month ago, without any vehicle quota, to …