The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The Indian Ambassador Pavan K Varma, on behalf of the Government of India (GoI) handed over to Finance Minister Wangdi Norbu INR 2.5bn meant for the ongoing 10th plan on June 6 along with INR 1.11bn as excise duty refund for goods imported during the year 2009. Earlier this week, …
Read More »PDP on an optimistic path
Despite the increase in the registration fee, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) continues to register members, and has reached about 250 members. The registration fee has increased to Nu 100 and annual membership to 1200. Even with this, the PDP still has many old members renewing their memberships, including the …
Read More »Seized medicinal plants get comfy in customs office
The Revenue and Custom officials in Samtse confiscated two and half sacks of semi-dried Pipla, worth approximately Nu 37,500 at fair market value on April 22 from an Indian driver. Officials usually do not inspect Indian vehicles passing through the border gates when they return after a Sunday market. But, …
Read More »Ego, opinions and self defense – reasons for gangs and gang fights
It’s the sheer numbers that fuel the rise of a culture. And Bhutan has it huge in the youth of the nation. According to statistics with the National Statistics Bureau, The youth population in the age group 15-24 is expected to increase from 145,810 persons to 161,280 in 2030, and …
Read More »Import Indian timber to conserve Bhutanese forests
The yearly increase in demand of timber has led to shortage of about 2.8mn cubic feet and the Natural Resources Development Corporation Limited (NRDCL) has decided to import from India. The NRDCL is currently awaiting confirmation from the West Bengal Forest Development Corporation Ltd. (WBFDCL). The confirmation from the Indian …
Read More »Famine looms large on Gozhi in absence of rain
Gozhips in Dagana harvest more than 40 tons of Maize every year. Gozhips will hardly harvest five or six tons of Maize this year. That is easily not… good news. Farmers in the gewog are deeply worried the unusually long hiatus in rainfall is a prelude to an approaching famine …
Read More »Water problem seeps into Gosarling
It’s been more than a year since the people of Tsirang have grappled water crisis. And presently the farm works in Gosarling gewog have come to a near-standstill. “It’s been months that we didn’t do any work in our field because there is no water or rainfall in the village. …
Read More »Porous borders: a boon for goons, bane for the law
To contain illegal trades in the northern and southern ends of the country is a most challenging task for Bhutanese law enforcement authorities. As a result, illegal trading of medicinal plants is up and on the rise. Trans-boundary illegal collection of medicinal plants is rampant in Bhutan although enforcement officials …
Read More »Change in import method will not affect vegetable vendors
The announcement, of the Food Corporation of Bhutan (FCB) as the wholesale agent for all the vegetable vendors was a cause for concern among the vendors who are already worried over the Royal Monetary Authority (RMA)’s decision to stop issuing Indian Rupee from June first week. Lyonchen Jigmi Y. Thinley, …
Read More »Asian delegates meets to discuss on ensuring legal, sustainable and traceable trade of medicinal plants
Delegates from eight Asian Countries came together in a three-day Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) regional workshop last week to discuss about ensuring legal, sustainable and traceable trade in medicinal plants. Speaking to some 30 representatives of scientific and management authorities from …
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