HEADLINE STORIES

The National Statistics Bureau (NSB) has finally released the much delayed Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate for 2018 and it shows that the economy had its second worst year ever on record with GDP touching 3.03 percent. The last time Bhutan’s economy had such poor numbers was after the …

The company is in the midst of root and stem reforms to deal with the fall out RICBL is Bhutan’s largest insurance company and handles all life insurance and most vehicle, equipment, projects, building and other insurance The country’s biggest and oldest insurance company is in unchartered waters as it …

Schools say the future of 1,500 school staff and 11,000 students enrolled in 36 private schools are at stake With the government’s move to absorb all the students who are not qualified for class XI in the government schools, which would have otherwise enrolled in private schools, many owners of …

The DNT government in its 2018 manifesto says it will recover Nu 10 bn by strengthening the tax collection system and avoiding tax evasion. This has become all the more imperative as the government faces a Nu 40 bn deficit in the 12th plan to meet its many pledges, some …

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, …