ABOUT TOWN

Bhutan’s literacy rate increased to 66 percent in the past five years, from 63 percent in 2012 according to the Bhutan Living Standards Survey (BLSS) 2017. Youth (15-24 years) were the most literate group at 93 percent and it was 60 percent for adults (15 years and above). Literacy rates …

Bhutan’s fertility rate has seen a huge decline over the years, from 5.6% in 1994 to 4.7 in 2000 to 2.3 in 2012. This year the fertility rate dropped to 1.9% which according to the Health Minister Lyonpo Tandin Wangchuk is a huge concern. The health minister said the situation …

Despite the massive online presence of children, one in three internet users worldwide is a child, too little is done to protect them from the perils of the digital world and to increase their access to safe online content, UNICEF said in its annual flagship report released this week. Children …

The highest share of health related expenditure, 58 percent, went into conducting religious ceremonies (rimdo or puja) according to the Bhutan Living Standards Survey (BLSS) 2017, reflecting the strong affinity of Bhutanese towards spirituality and the centrality of spiritual support. Total transportation charges (for emergency and non-emergency) consti­tuted a fourth …

Agriculture continues to remain the mainstay occupation of more than 80 percent of the population in Lhuentse, Paro, and Zhemgang according to the report on citizen’s perception on basic public services carried out by Bhutan Transparency Initiative (BTI) on Implementation of 11th Five Year Plan. The report states that agriculture …

Longer waiting time for patients and delay in delivery of consultation services at the JDWNRH, are the main issues pointed out by a performance audit report on delivery of OPD services. The average waiting time for patients in medical OPD is observed at one hour 38 minutes and general OPD …

In line with the recommendation made by the parliament, the RAA conducted the performance audit with an overall objective to ascertain the economy, efficiency and effectiveness in the management of school feeding with a specific focus on nutrition covering the government funded schools for two financial periods. The RAA had …

The Gyalpoi Zimpon’s office provided semso of Nu 10,000 each to the relatives of the five deceased who lost their lives in recent car accident in Mongar. The accident took place on 6th December when the car (Santro) that they were driving veered off the road at Zimzorong, 10 km …

The works and human settlement, Dorji Choden, answered numerous questions on the widening of the national highways and construction of dzongkhag and gewog roads during parliament’s question hour session this week. Responding to queries by the Wamrong and Nubi Tangsibji MPs, the minister said the widening of the east west …

The slash in petrol and diesel prices earlier this month due to the non levying of excise, which the government decided to transfer to people, has led to some taxis saying the drop is too steep while passengers argued the opposite especially for bus fares. The revised fare for taxi …