HEADLINE STORIES

One of the main agendas of the Foreign Minister, Lyonpo Tandi Dorji during his recent trip to India was to try and find a solution to untangling the 2560 MW Sunkosh project which is currently stuck due differences between the two countries on the implementation modality. Bhutan wants to implement …

Revised pay for SOEs to be implemented from 1st December A major feature of the State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) pay hike is a Performances Based Variable Incentive (PBVI) allowance to encourage better performance by SOE companies. The PBVI for companies range from 15 percent for underperformance, 25 percent for good …

The ACC investigation of the BHEL case, while not finding any criminal culpability, said that the appointment of the local agent Bhutan Ventures Trading (BVT) by BHEL for a commission fee cost an additional financial burden of Nu 197.897 mn to the country in buying equipment from BHEL for the …

The government in a story reported by The Bhutanese in 26th October 2019 announced the Draft Regional Tourism Policy and Draft Regional Tourism Management Guidelines to better regulate and manage the growing number and impact of mass regional tourism. Since then, the government has had to do a delicate internal …

According to the Opposition’s assessment of the government’s one year in office, Opposition party, Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT), said that the decision of the government to give financial handouts to Class X students who did not qualify to study in government schools came about at a dubious timing, even when …

ACC writes to the PM recommending need to institute a system of declaring Conflict of Interest in Cabinet meetings The Anti Corruption Commission has dropped the ‘Le Meridian’ (Thimphu) Fiscal Incentives case finding no policy corruption against former Minister Lyonpo Dasho Yeshey Zimba. The ACC said that 25 January 2018, …

It says ambiguities of Security Protocol for VVIPS 2014 must be fixed The Anti Corruption Commission dropped the ‘Wall Case’ of the former Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay finding no corruption or violation of the ACC Act, misuse of resources or any other wrong doing. The ACC said on 12 …

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Bhutan in August 2019 the joint statement of both the governments said, that given the the huge benefits that would accrue to both countries from the 2560 MW Sunkosh, they agreed to finalize the implementation modalities for the Project at the earliest to enable …

The much delayed Kholongchu project in Trashiyangtse might see the two sides agreeing to sign the vital Concession Agreement within the next few months which could be by the end of the year or early next year. Once the CA is signed then the major works like dam, head race …

The Opposition Party in a recent press release (pg 8) had criticized the government’s one-year performance on several fronts in response to the government’s own one-year report. One criticism was on the issue of transparency with the Opposition asking the government to publicize the names of shareholders of Rigzom Academy, …