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Banks are happy about the move but want the RMA to increase the cap on housing loans After floating the draft guidelines on Housing, Vehicle and Consumer loans last week, the Royal Monetary Authority (RMA) has now announced that it would allow banks to reopen Housing, Vehicle and Consumer loans …

While most of the focus has been on taxes being levied on vehicles and fuel most people are still unaware of the impending five percent tax on their telecommunication services imposed by the government’s Tax Bill. Though this is yet to come into effect, telecommunication service providers like Bhutan Telecom …

Claims that 5 percent hike in fuel prices should not lead to rise in prices The government’s Task Force to fight inflation had its first meeting on Thursday chaired by the Minister for Economic Affairs Lyonpo Norbu Wangchuk. The terms of reference of the multi sectoral committee (see box) is …

The draft guidelines have been put up on the RMA website for public feedback In what will be welcome news for those eagerly waiting to build or buy their homes the RMA has floated some draft guidelines on its website that allow Financial Institutions (FIs) to give housing loans with …

The Pay Commission report and the Pay Revision report proposals to monetize the quota at Nu 160,000 have been dropped by the govt In what will be music to the ears of more than 3,000 eligible civil servants, the government has decided to lift the vehicle quota freeze imposed in …

The goodwill generated during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit and the traditional ties of friendship between Bhutan and India has not been restricted to only kind words about each other. This April 2014 to 2015 March annual budget of India has allotted a substantial amount to Bhutan’s 11th plan priorities …

The PDP government is in the process of studying and making some changes to the existing, Economic Development Policy (EDP) 2010 and the Foreign Direct Investment Policy (FDI) 2010 to promote economic activities and make Bhutan more investment friendly. Minister for Ministry of Economic Affairs (MoEA) Lyonpo Norbu Wangchuk said, …

A high powered Better Business Council is also being finalized and it will include members from the private sector After coming into power, one of the big economic promises of the government was to improve Bhutan’s dismal 141st ranking in 2014 on the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business ranking …

One big but brief and barely noticed announcement in the Prime Minister’s state of the nation address was the government’s plan to form a State Mining Corporation (SMC) that would export minerals to India and Bangladesh. This paper has learnt that, though in the early stages, the Ministry of Economic …

The Bill which was portrayed as a money bill earlier has now been found to be an ordinary Bill giving the NC a say while reviewing it in the Winter Session A key moment in the passing of the Parliamentary Entitlement (Amendment) Bill in the National Assembly was when the …