Internal migration significantly influencing Gungtong and Satong  

The mainly internal migration from rural to urban area is significantly influencing Gungtong, which in turn contributes to abandonment of farm land, Satong.

People migrate for various reasons ranging from employment to education, family movement and marriage. Other multiple driving factors such as Human Wild-life Conflict, labour shortage, lack of irrigation, market inaccessibility, and, small and fragmented land holdings and gungtong fees are also playing a vital role in land abandonment.

As of April, 2024 there were 5,988 absentee households, six eastern dzongkhags accounting for 75.28 percent of overall Gungtong.

By dzongkhags, Trashigang followed by Pemagatshel, Trashiyangtse and Mongar recorded the highest gungtong across the country. Dzongkhags like Thimphu, Paro, Gasa and Chhukha recorded the lowest number of gungtong.

Trashigang dzongkhag experienced the highest net loss of 23,536 persons while Thimphu dzongkhag gained substantially by 59,579 persons.

Also, the country has witnessed significant decrease in the land under agriculture over the past few decades, which in turn has led to decline in the cereal production and surge in the food import. For instance, a total of 84,584.45 MT of rice was imported in 2019 amounting to Nu. 2.15 billion, further increasing to Nu.3 billion in 2023.

Despite periodic policy and significant program interventions over the past decades, the agriculture sector could not leverage to transform into a productive sector.

To address the issue, several recommendations were made such as balanced regional development, fallow land conversion policy, flexible use of wetlands, crop and livestock insurance scheme, subsidy support, eligibility criteria for land exchange, program support, agriculture marketing and incentivizing youths.

Further discussion on fa ew recommendations made by members of National Council in the NC report will be done and final adoption will be conducted on 2^nd July, 2024.