The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Annual Report highlights exceptional performance in target fulfillment, budget utilization, and employment initiatives
The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Employment (MoICE) has released its Annual Report for 2025–2026, revealing that all six Regional Offices of Industry, Commerce and Employment (RoICE) achieved a perfect 100 percent completion rate across their Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Out of 106 total regional KPIs, every target was fully met across Gelephu, Trongsa, Thimphu, Phuentsholing, Mongar, and Samdrup Jongkhar. Regional budget utilization rates remained consistently high, ranging between 97.24 percent and 99.59 percent, with Phuentsholing leading financial deployment at 99.59 percent, followed closely by Trongsa at 99.17 percent, Gelephu at 98.91 percent, Samdrup Jongkhar at 98.24 percent, Thimphu at 98.13 percent, and Mongar at 97.24 percent. Across all districts, the regional offices surpassed major operational mandates spanning industrial project identification, business monitoring, weights and measures verification, and consumer protection.
In Gelephu, the office engaged 381 jobseekers through YELP against a target of 205, placed 257 jobseekers via the Employment Service Center (ESC) against a target of 140, and monitored 3,276 businesses against a 3,000 target. The office identified five feasible industrial projects including Developing Retey ney, a bamboo craft enterprise, Panbang healthy moringa, eco-rentals, and Gelephu areca products against a single-project target. It also identified two local products (Kuengachholing incense, and Khengrig Namsum Cooperative’s banana chips and turmeric powder) for potential branding or Geographical Indication (GI) registration, identified four informal economic activities, and facilitated two local-industry value-chain linkages involving Yoghurt manufacturing (Hotel, Restaurant and Monastic Institutions) and Moringa Growers (Food Processing Unit).
Further accomplishments included conducting entrepreneurship training for 43 candidates against a target of 30, executing two career interventions including the Regional Job Fair 2026, conducting two awareness programmes, inspecting 504 enterprises, verifying 488 weights and measures against a 360 target, monitoring DoT-certified accommodations (4 hotels and 40 village homestays) twice, monitoring 13 Fuel Retail Outlets, collecting quarterly Market Price Index data, monitoring 11 schools under the Entrepreneurship Fund, completing two YELP monitoring rounds covering 384 and 129 candidates respectively across 44 employers, and securing a client satisfaction score of 4.64 on a 5-point scale against a target of 4.
In Phuentsholing, the regional office inspected 1,437 enterprises against a target of 1,000, monitored 1,867 businesses and industries against a 1,000 target, and verified 464 weights and measures against a target of 530 (later reaching 626 in overall verification). The team identified five feasible industrial projects (Agro-Processing Unit, Turmeric, Ginger and Capsule Indigenous Craft Unit, handicraft and decorative items, Druk Textiles, garment and clothing accessories. Traditional Blacksmith – for producing knives/Khukhur and High Mechanical Fabrication Workshop) against a target of 5, alongside four products for branding or GI registration (Kiwi Wine, Druk Shingja, Sil Timur Oil, and Turmeric Capsules). The office identified four informal economic activities, facilitated three value-chain creations (Kar10 Agri Enterprise, Druk Textiles, and Agro Processing Unit of Chhukha Agriculture Cooperative), engaged 232 jobseekers through YELP against a 205 target, trained 25 entrepreneurship candidates, completed three career information interventions (including a Career Session at CST and Career Guidance and Counselling Programs at ESC), placed 189 jobseekers via ESC against a 160 target, conducted two awareness programmes, monitored 18 three-star hotels twice-yearly, monitored 19 Fuel Retail Outlets, collected quarterly Market Price Index data, monitored nine schools supported by the Entrepreneurship Fund, completed two YELP monitoring rounds covering 84 and 124 candidates, and achieved client satisfaction ratings between 4.0 and 4.7.
In Mongar, the office placed 81 jobseekers through ESC against a 53 target, monitored 1,325 businesses against a 1,000 target, and verified 309 weights and measures against a target of 260. Four feasible industrial projects were identified (Shagzo Woodcraft of Trashiyangtse, nettle fibre weaving in Trashigang, wood-based craft in Kengkhar, and a heavy vehicle driving training ground at Dogsum), along with three products for GI registration (Gangzur pottery, Radhi buray, and Radhi rice), and four informal economic activities. Three value-chain linkages were created (supplying onion and potato to JAIPEE at Khorlochu Hydro Power Project, maize producers with Charo Khapzey, and fruit rate negotiations in Mongar to Bhutan Agro Limited in Lingmethang).
Additionally, 83 jobseekers were engaged through YELP against an 80 target, 26 candidates received entrepreneurship training against a 25 target, three career information interventions were conducted (including Joint Regional Job Fair, Establishment and Employee Survey, 2026), three awareness interventions were held, 358 enterprises were inspected against a 350 target, 22 village homestays and six three-star hotels were monitored twice-yearly, six Fuel Retail Outlets were monitored across Kanglung, Lhuentse, and Trashiyangtse, Market Price Index data was gathered quarterly, 17 schools were monitored under the Entrepreneurship Fund across Mongar, Trashigang, Trashiyangtse, and Lhuentse, two YELP monitoring rounds covered 65 and 63 candidates, and client satisfaction reached 4.3 against a target of 4.
In Samdrup Jongkhar, the office identified six feasible Cottage and Small Industry (CSI) projects against a target of 5, monitored 1,347 businesses against a 1,250 target, and verified 235 weights and measures against a target of 165. The office identified Tsatshi Guram for potential GI registration, identified two informal economic activities, and facilitated four value-chain linkages (local metal scrap dealers with the ferrosilicon industry, used beer bottle dealers with bottle cleaning plants/beer factories, paper waste collectors with paper egg tray manufacturers, and Charcoal Production Unit with Ferro Silicon Industry).
Furthermore, 205 jobseekers were engaged through YELP matching the 205 target, 28 candidates received entrepreneurship training against a 25 target, two career information interventions were completed (Regional Job Fair, Establishment and Employee Surveys 2026), 70 jobseekers were placed by ESC against a 70 target, two awareness and consultation programs were conducted, 320 enterprises were inspected against a 300 target, accommodation facilities (three two-star hotels, one one-star hotel, and two restrooms) were monitored twice-yearly, 18 Fuel Retail Outlets were monitored across Pemagatshel and Samdrup Jongkhar, Market Price Index data was collected quarterly, six schools were monitored under the Entrepreneurship Fund, two YELP monitoring rounds covered 136 and 128 candidates, and client satisfaction reached 4.32 against a target of 4.
In Trongsa, the office engaged 180 candidates through YELP against an 80 target, monitored 3,025 businesses against a 3,000 target, and placed 124 jobseekers in local mega projects via ESC against a target of 53. Two feasible industrial projects were identified (Nettle Fibre Products from Beling, Trongsa, and Nga, Dappa, and Phob Production wood carving from Jakar, Bumthang), Samcheling Green Tea was identified for branding/GI registration, 21 informal economic activities were identified against a target of 4, and two industries (Kingdom Essences Pvt Ltd and an eco-empower women’s group) were facilitated in value-chain creation against a target of 3. In addition, 12 candidates underwent basic entrepreneurship training, two career and labor-market interventions were completed (Regional Job Fair, Establishment and Employment Coverage Analysis), two awareness programs reached 330 participants, 100 enterprises were inspected (45 in Trongsa, 55 in Bumthang), 874 business establishments were monitored against an 850 target, 150 weights and measures were verified in line with targets (with total regional verifications reaching 1,839 against a 1,700 target), 18 hotels and 14 village homestays were monitored twice-yearly, four Fuel Retail Outlets were inspected, and client satisfaction achieved a regional high of 4.9 against a target of 4.
In Thimphu, the office identified six feasible CSI projects (Tshelungna Dairy, Pema Tashi Wood Carving, Beekeeping, Local Egg Production, Ganoderma Mushroom Production, and Mustard Oil Production) against a target of 5, monitored 3,025 businesses against a 3,000 target, and verified 1,839 weights and measures against a target of 1,700. Nya-dosem was identified for potential GI registration, four informal economic activities were identified against a target of 4, and three industries (Ratna Samphel Fabric and Paper Unit, NTT Fengsi Production – Finn Foods, and Dappa Meat Snacks) were facilitated in value-chain creation. The office also conducted two awareness programmes reaching 330 participants, monitored 18 village homestays twice-yearly, inspected 27 Fuel Retail Outlets, and recorded a client satisfaction score of 4.3 against a target of 4.
Alongside performance targets, regional employment opportunity mapping and labor-market studies highlighted distinct structural workforce challenges across the regions. In Gelephu, key employment obstacles were identified as a lack of experience (22 percent) skills mismatch (22 percent), low salaries, and jobseekers waiting for government positions. Phuentsholing reported that 84.1 percent of employers experienced difficulty hiring local workers, primarily due to high wage expectations and skills mismatch. In Mongar, skills mismatch emerged as a primary barrier, with employers unable to find workers possessing required technical and soft skills. Samdrup Jongkhar cited productivity-impacting skills gaps as a central concern, while Trongsa identified major gaps in job-readiness, including basic digital literacy, soft skills, certification, hospitality service standards, and business operations.
