Did you ever realize that there are more incentives for consumption than saving and producing in Bhutan? Business conglomerates in the country have concocted their own definition and demarcation of private consumption- the primary contributing factor to the crunch. When government studies have pointed at private consumption and credit expansion …

The State of the Nation report presented by the Prime Minister Lyonchhen Jigmi Y Thinley is similar to a report card on the progress achieved by various government agencies. The government has judged its overall performance to be good in what has been a particularly challenging year. It must be …

Jamkhar Gewog Waits for Budget All planned activities for the 10th five year plan have been completed before the June closing. The gewog now awaits budget for development activities for 2012-2013. Jamkhar gewog Gup, Cheku said government might give the budget in July since the budget for 2012 would end …

While there are compelling arguments against opening the capital account to the volatilities of global finance, there are institutional frameworks and regulations that can be crafted and certain appropriate segments of the account that can be liberalized to alleviate such distortions. Another useful approach is the assessment of our commendable …

There has been a flurry of international and national discussions on the purported news of the move towards establishment of diplomatic relations between Bhutan and China. This was based on supposed statements by the Prime Minister of Bhutan, Lyonchhen Jigme Y Thinley and the Premier of China, Wen Jiabo when …

NGOs prove beneficial in Ura The two NGO centers- Aurbay Sher Shong Payzhotkhang (ASSP) and Pre-nursery school by READ Bhutan and Loden Foundation have proved most beneficial to the Ura community. Gewog Gup Dorji Wangchuk said the two centers were established two years back and this has made a tremendous …

The recent Rupee crunch has emerged as one of the most significant economic phenomenon of our time. In the midst of all the chaos, competing views have been offered without any attempt to bind these arguments coherently. It seems to me that these disparate views are merely an attempt for …

A key ingredient of a good democracy is the ability to make good compromises and take decisions based on the common consensus for the larger national interest. In that sense the decision of the National Assembly to not deliberate on the Land Bill 2012 during the tenure of this Parliament …

As the Hon’ble Finance Minister introduced the 2012-2013 Budget in the National Council today, one of the very first things he highlighted was how the rupee problem has ‘offered us opportunities to develop our domestic industries especially the agriculture sector.’ He stated, “In that sector, in spite of heavy investments …

Taxes of any sort are never welcome and generally if citizens can have their way then Bhutan probably would be a largely tax free country. This is clear with MP’s voting to do away with or reduce most of the proposed taxes on fuel, non essential food, vehicles etc. Their …