The Bhutanese Leading the way.
NGOs prove beneficial in Ura
The two NGO centers- Aurbay Sher Shong Payzhotkhang (ASSP) and Pre-nursery school by READ Bhutan and Loden Foundation have proved most beneficial to the Ura community.
Gewog Gup Dorji Wangchuk said the two centers were established two years back and this has made a tremendous difference in the rural community life.
He said the Middle Secondary school in Ura with 400 students at the moment recruits children above six years and the pre-nursery school will help build the foundation of children to pursue primary schools.
“Though my brother and his spouse are uneducated, their children are well versed with all the alphabets and nursery rhymes, and this is all because of the library and the pre-nursery school,” said Pema Thinley a Ura resident.
Gup Dorji Wangchuk said that the centers have not only provided services to their children but also helped support farming. He said READ-Bhutan had provided them with tractor to till the land, collect firewood, manure and transport goods.
(Thinley Wangmo)
Farm road to be completed by 2013
The construction of 70.5 km of farm road has started at Nedrupchu chiwog in Chubu gewog under Punakha Dzongkhag. A budget of around Nu 1mn is allocated for it.
“The farm road will connect four villages which have 50 to 60 households comprising 800 people,” said Chubu Gup Tobgay.
So far three kms of farm road has been constructed and it is expected to be completed by end of 2013
Upon completion the road will help villagers sell their cash crops and other farm products to the market place and most importantly, school-going children will get a better path to walk on.
Nedrupchu is one of the far flung villages under Punakha Dzongkhag which is three hours walk from the nearest road point
(Dawa Zangmo)
Cut-off Gasa in fear of huge inflation
Recent flood and landslides in Gasa led to inflation in prices of general commodities in the Gasa community. People are worried if the maintenance works prolong, the prices of the commodity could hike drastically.
Khatoed Gewog Gup Pema Dorji said the Dzongkhag would starve if the maintenance of the road and the bridges are not finished at an earliest.
For now the Gasa Dzongda has ordered shopkeepers not to increase the price of the commodities.
“Shopkeepers are increasing the prices though Government is trying hard to help the community, this is contradictory,” he said.
He said gewog heads are not authorized to regulate the prices of the goods. He suggested having a representative from the business body to look into this matter.
On the plus side the region will be connected with electricity as the maintenance has been comploeted.
The Road near Kabena is almost cleared with the help of excavators but people in Gasa are worried about the two main bridges located in Nashekha and Phuntshogang which were washed away.
“It might take another few months for the bridge to build again,” he said.
(Thinley Wangmo)
