DHI ready to help in Wangdue Dzong reconstruction

DHI Chairman Lyonpo Om Pradhan

The Druk Holdings and Investment (DHI) has said that it along with its companies will render all help in the reconstruction of the Wangdue Dzong.

“DHI companies will play a major role in the reconstruction process within the framework of the government’s plan. We want to play a central role,” said the Chairman of DHI, Lyonpo Om Pradhan.

Lyonpo Om Pradhan said firstly, the Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs (MoHCA) will have to come up with the overall plan, which he believed that the ministry was currently doing.

“Going with the master plan, companies under the DHI will be allotted its own responsibilities, but, first the plan will have to be ready and only then DHI can step in,” said Lyonpo.

The Chairman said once the plan is at hand, the assessment and the allocation of budget and the resources required will have to be worked out. He said that in accordance to the plan and timeframe, everything will have to be coordinated and each sector will have to have its own responsibility.

On the areas that DHI could support in the reconstruction, Lyonpo Om Pradhan said that DHI companies with their respective competence and resources can help.

For instance he pointed out that for the construction purposes, cement, power, communications, and timber amongst many other resources would be required, which DHI will be able to provide or support with.

He said cement would be managed by the cement plants, the Bhutan Power Corporation (BPC) could help in the power front, Bhutan Telecom Limited (BTL) would help with communications, and for the essential requirements for building materials like stones and timber the Natural Resource Development Corporation Limited (NRDCL) could supply them.

The Chairman said the banks would help to supply financial services to the contractors and agencies working on the Wangdue Dzong reconstruction, the Bhutan Board Products Limited (BBPL) would contribute in supplying furniture and other items required for reconstruction.

“The rest of the companies could support in terms of funds and logistics,” said the Chairman.

“We are at the disposal of the government and the DHI family will definitely do what we all can with enthusiasm. DHI will not do a half hearted job,” said the Chairman.

Lyonpo Om Pradhan said the DHI was keenly awaiting directives from the MoHCA.

Meanwhile the Director General, Department of Culture Dorji Tshering said, the master plan for the reconstruction of the Dzong was ready and work would commence soon.

Dorji Tshering said he expected DHI’s support in the reconstruction process especially from the Punatsangchu project for energy, and also for building temporary place for the Dratshang and Dzongkhag.

He said apart from the 200 plus laborers on the site, the project team comprised a project manager, accounts’ manager, and three architects amongst others.

Meanwhile, the DHI and the companies under DHI have been making personal contributions and initiating fund raising events for the Dzong reconstruction.

DHI is an autonomous holding company established by a Royal Charter in 2007 with the primary mandate, “to hold and manage the existing and future investments of the Royal Government of Bhutan for the long term benefit of its shareholders, the people of Bhutan.”  It is also the investment arm of the government. The Ministry of Finance is DHI’s sole shareholder.

Companies owned by DHI with 100% shares are Druk Green Power Corporation, Bhutan Power Corporation, Bhutan Telecom, Natural Resources Development Corporation, DHI Infra, Druk Air, Dungsam Cement Corporation, and Dungsam Polymers.

Companies with majority DHI stake are Bank of Bhutan and State Trading Corporation of Bhutan. Other than that are DHI linked companies where DHI has a significant share but not a majority one. These are BBPL, Penden Cement, RICBL, BFAL and BNBL.

The net worth of DHI in 2011 stands at Nu 64 bn up from Nu 20.344 bn in 2007. DHI therefore has been growing at an annual average of 32% every year.

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15 comments

  1. As rightly pointed out in the Article ” The Ministry of Finance is DHI’s sole shareholder”. DHI do not belong to Lyonpo Om Pradhan. DHI belongs to every citizen of Bhutan. Let the MoF do resource mobilization for the Nation Building and not DHI. DHI do perform your mandate as required by DHI service rules and not sending Hon’ble Board of Directors to Dubia for seminar.

     It is also clearly mentioned in the Article that BPPL is going to supply all the required furniture.  Reporter – Are you sure this is what Lyonpo Om has siad? Is BPPL going to supply the FURNITURE at free of cost?. What you guys say – Shareholder ! 

    SO MYSTERIOUS ARTICLE – I THINK THERE SHOULD BE BETTER WAY OF INFORMING THE NATION

  2. just a doubt…..why is DHI not selling their companies shares and keeping it to them selves ….i thought DHI followed the path of GNH

  3. fully agree……more detail information needed….dhi does not have independent authority to do things as they like….

  4. looks that the DHI is pvt company which is not true. let the gov do the job because if it needs help or money, the DHI earning can be used for the construction as it is people’s money.

  5. It is unbelievable that people in DHI from top to bottom thinks that the company is theirs. How come? Personally i feel DHI is a redundant organization who just comes up with frivolous plans to waste money. The people in DHI act as if they have formed a new company from scratch. They simply waste money by employing people at high salary and investing in unnecessary projects like Education City and so on. Common…we are not fools.

  6. Is DHI is private firm.. or institution owned by some individual. I thought it was a part of Govt. Then how can people from DHI say they are willing to help with reconstruction. It is not their money to spend. It is the govt who should decide. If this same statement came from govt. saying “we’ll hepl with reconstruction from our money with DHI” would have been appropriate. So who is DHI ?
     Whose is DHI?…Please somebody should tell the citizens.

  7. I heard they were planning to demolish the remaining parts of the Wangdue dzong and rebuild it new like the SAARC building. Do they not have any respect for the sheer age of the structure?

    If they want to build a new phodrang there, then they will not get my contribution. 

  8. It is really funny that Om Pradhan is talking like he is contributing. DHI belongs to the people of Bhutan. And as such government should decide what to use and how much to use and it is definitely not for Om Pradhan to decide. How much is he contributing from his own pocket? After all his monthly income amounts to several lakhs, I guess!

  9. DHI should be done away with. Lots of people’s money is wasted on salary of the staff.

  10. DHI is a state owned company and they have no right to do the way they want to do as in this report. Lyonpo provides information as if DHI belongs to him. Lyonpo should be ashamed of providing information and acting that way. 

    DHI please work within the frame work of company’s act, rules and regulations. Please be mindful that DHI is answerable to the public of Bhutan for all its actions.

    DHI was established to enhance the economy through sustainable development so that gaps between haves and not haves would be reduced.

     

  11. dhi is useless cost center and unnecessary hurdle for the government owned companies…

  12. I really don’t understand where was the requirement of DHI and DGPC? I feel these two organization were not needed and are not needed.

  13. i think everybody should wait (including bbs) till govt announces concrete course of action including request for donations!! who is coordinating the entire mess??????

  14. This Pradhan is very cunning guy, trying to be chamcha of this DPT and gain trust. The money is not his money, it is our money, public money, so he better consult public before offering any help to govt. 

  15. “The net worth of DHI in 2011 stands at Nu 64 bn up from Nu 20.344 bn in 2007. DHI therefore has been growing at an annual average of 32% every year”

    Will this make you change your minds about the negative opinion you all have of DHI??

    This Royal Charter administration is directly under our His majesty .  Lyonpo answers to His Majesty and the Parliament of Bhutan. I feel this is more than sufficient accountability. Lets support the good or rather excellent work DHI is doing in Bhutan .

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