The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Prime Minister, Lyonchen Jigmi Y Thinley’s vision is finally taking shape. The construction of Baeyul Dewaling or Gross National Happiness (GNH) Center at Bumthang’s sacred Chhoekhar valley will start by the end of the year and is scheduled to be completed by 2013. However, the master plan for the GNH …
Read More »Scholarship students will be sent only to third countries to ease rupee outflow
This year, the Scholarship and Student Support Division (SSSD) under Adult and Higher Education Department (AHED) with the Ministry of Education (MoE) has decided not to send any students funded by the government to study in India, in order to “ease the flow of rupee,” according to division officials. Unlike …
Read More »7 dead in three car accidents
Three Indians from West Bengal and two Bhutanese nationals were killed in a car accident in Taktikotey in Chukha around 5 pm yesterday. The Santro car carrying five passengers including the driver were heading towards Phuntsholing from Thimphu. According to police officials, the car fell about 200 meters below the …
Read More »MPAB alters modus operandi for film awards
This was to steer clear of controversies which arose last year during the 10th National Film Awards Motion Picture Association of Bhutan (MPAB) has amended the procedure to nominate films for the 11th National Film Awards which will be held today evening at the Royal Thimphu College (RTC) auditorium after …
Read More »Civil servants’ vehicle quota drains govt. coffers by Nu 900 mn from 2002-2011
The task force on rupee shortage recommends the vehicle quota for civil servants be done away with, ‘green tax’ of 40% be imposed on all imported vehicles, and five percent green tax on fuel imports The task force to study the reasons behind the rupee shortage and suggest solutions was …
Read More »FCB asks for Nu 1.3 mn a week to import essential vegetables after ban
The Prime Minister’s statement on national television that there will be a ban on vegetable imports from 5 May has now been considerably modified. As per the latest reports, the Royal Monetary Authority (RMA) will be withholding rupee for vegetable imports from 19 May, 2012. In the meantime, the Department …
Read More »Bhutan-India agreement on equal share of carbon credit revenue unfair, say experts
Bhutan and India have agreed to have equal share to the revenue that the former’s hydropower projects would earn through carbon credits under Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). CDM allows emission reduction projects in developing countries to earn a …
Read More »Bhutan to import cement in the face of severe crunch
With Penden Cement Authority Limited (PCAL), the main supplier of cement to hydro projects across the country currently facing a severe supply crunch, it has placed an order for 5,000 MT of cement with ACC in Orissa, a top brand Indian cement company, in addition to the already imported lot. …
Read More »Bhutanese consumers pay more than export rate for power
While you will pay Nu 2.14 per unit from July 2012 for more than 300 units of power, Bhutan exports power at Nu 1.98 per unit to India. There is also concern that Bhutan’s export tariffs are too low in the context of the rupee crisis. Next time you …
Read More »Regional Trade Office blamed for gas shortage
The shortage of LPG cylinders occurring currently, according to managers at some stations, is due to the fact that since the Regional Trade and Industries Office (RTIO) took over the issuance of cylinders from private distributors, the office is issuing new connections indiscriminately. The RTIO issues 15 new connections …
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