A big portion of the COVID-19 economic shock was absorbed through the Royal Kidu that waived off the full loan interest payment from April to September 2020 and 50 percent interest waiver from October 2020 to March 2021. Another major relief was also the deferment of loans until 30th June …

The Finance Minister Lyonpo Namgay Tshering said that the government is planning to go for external borrowing at concessional rates so that it can sub-lend this money to Financial Institutions, which will improve the capital base of the banks and enable them to lend more to the private sector. The …

Public memory is generally short, but most will still remember that Bhutan was largely without internet from 21st May evening to a large part of 22nd May 2020 when Cyclone Amphan impacted both Bhutan Telecom and Tashi Cell’s lines coming via Kolkata. Both of Bhutan’s International Gateways come through Kolkata …

The joint statement from Bhutan and Bangladesh said that the Prime Ministers of Bhutan and Bangladesh noted the substantial progress made in the past towards signing an MOU among Bangladesh, Bhutan and India on trilateral cooperation in hydro-electricity. The reference is to the long delayed 1,125 MW run of the …

He said all people should come forward so that around 80 percent of the total population is vaccinated to have herd immunity Talking to The Bhutanese over the phone while in quarantine, the Prime Minister Dasho (Dr) Lotay Tshering urged fellow Bhutanese to come forward for the vaccination and he …

The State Mining Corporation Limited (SMCL) rocked by corruption allegations and an ACC investigation into its export of Gypsum to Nepal is planning to bring in a third major buyer to try and break the Duopoly or the Nepal Gypsum Syndicate. The SMCL is likely to put up the name …

The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) launched its formal investigation into allegations of corruption in the sale of Gypsum by launching a raid in the State Mining Corporation Limited’s (SMCL) office in Samdrup Jongkhar on 15th March afternoon. The ACC seized documents, computers, laptops and phones of the the SMCL General …

Two days before an ACC raid on the offices and homes of the Gypsum scam accused, the main accused in the scam in Bhutan, a syndicate member from Nepal and two transport partners in India put up detailed denials through a news article in a local private newspaper. The lengthy …

Before SMCL took over in 2019 the main market for Bhutan’s Gypsum was in India in the North-East, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim and Bihar which have no Gypsum mines. Nepal and to an extent Bangladesh were always the much smaller markets barely comprising around 10 to 15% under Druk …

NA and NC form joint committee on Mines and Minerals Bill 2020 to resolve major differences The National Assembly and National Council have recently agreed to form a joint committee for resolving major differences on the Mines and Minerals Bill 2020. The Bill which had been passed in the National Assembly had …