The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The Thimphu Dzongkhag 11th Five Year Plan midterm review on Monday showed that the Dzongkhags has achieved beyond its targets in capital investment.
For the construction of rural water supply scheme, Thimphu Dzongkhag had targeted 15 schemes and so far all has been. The funds for construction of 12 rural water supply schemes were used from the Gewog Development Grand (GDG).
In order to develop, renovate and have better infrastructure for Primary Schools, the Dzongkhag has achieved 4 out of 5 and it includes Primary Schools like Tshaluna, Sisina, Bjemina and Hongtsho.
The Dzongkhag has achieved its target of infrastructure development and renovation for Lower Secondary Schools in Khasadrapchu Middle Secondary School and Kuzugchen Middle Secondary School.
Similarly, for Higher Secondary School renovation and new infrastructure development, it has achieved its target in Wangbama Central School.
Although the Dzongkhag has not allocated any target as such for the integrated irrigation and drinking water reservoir tank construction, even then it has achieved 4 in Chang and Mewang.
It achieved its target of 15 marketing sheds in Mewang, Geney, Chang and Kawang Gewogs.
Thimphu Dzongkhag has completed a length of 9.3 KM for the construction of drainage and blacktopping of road at Debsi Local Area Plan under Chang Gewog.
In the construction of farm roads by length, the Dzongkhag has achieved way above its target of 11 km and has instead achieved 19.84 km.
The farm road target for Dodena-Barshong in 11 Five Year Plan was 16 KM.The Dzongkhag completed 2 km in the first year of 11 Five Year Plan and another 14 km was handed over to Department of Road as Gewog Center road.
A total of 6.34 km of farm road were constructed under Gewog Development Grant and a total of 6.5 km of farm roads were constructed on cost sharing with public at Nimashong, Begena, Jakha and Danglo to Wolluna.
While the Dzongkhag supported the Central Machinery Unit (CMU) like excavator and roller machine, the fuel for the machine is borne by the beneficiaries.
For the development of irrigation the target was 13 km but the achievement was 17.5 km.
Though the Dzongkhag did not allocated any target for the renovation of the irrigation channel, it has achieved 18 km in parts of Geney, Kawang, Chang and Mewang Gewogs.
Thimphu Dzongkhag has constructed 26 religious infrastructure.
For the maintenance and renovation of religious infrastructures, the Dzongkhag could not achieve much, as it only achieved 13 targets from a total target of 21.
All in all, Thimphu Dzongkhag had targeted 88 projects and it has achieved all it’s target in all the eight Gewogs of the Thimphu Dzongkhag.
In the last two and half years, Thimphu Dzongkhag has targeted a total of 55 Key Performance Indicators(KPIs) of Dzongkhag Key Result Areas for the 11th plan out of which it achieved 29. 20 are on track and 6 are found to be at risk.
Among many challenges and issues raised in midterm, the major issue was the construction of the Dzongkhag Office.
The shortcoming for not being able to construct the Dzongkhag Office was budget constraints and ownership of land by the Thimphu Thromde.
Thimphu Dzongda, Tshewang Rinzin said the drawing and design for the office reconstruction is ready and the National Land Commission has approved the note sheet for utilization of the land at existing Dzongkhag office near Changlimithang.
The construction cost is estimated at about Nu 100 Million and so cannot be implemented within the annual budget allocation ceiling.
Thimphu Dzongda, Tshewang Rinzin requested the government to consider approval to construct the office in the present location and consider the fund for the construction of Dzongkhag Office in the 12th Five Year Plan.
On this matter Prime Minister, Tshering Tobgay suggested to discuss the issue once more with the Gups and people of the 8 Gewogs, finalize it and then to inform him about it.
The re-construction of the Lingzhi Dzong remains a concern for Dzongkhag administration which is unable to implement the project in a timely and proper manner, due to the difficult terrain, harsh weather, lack of roads and the remoteness of the place. It will be deferred in the 12th Five Year plan and will be implementing as a special project.
Some of the people from the Mewang Gewog raised their voice on the need of proper roads and water supply in the Bjemina area.
Thimphu Dzongda, Tshewang Rinzin said, for the proper water supply they need to look for a proper drinking water source which is identified at the distance of about 7 km and they have talked to the people about the land for the water source.
“We have also discussed it in the Dzongkhag Yargey Tshogdue and have gained support from the Natural Resources Development Corporation Limited to look into this matter,” said the Dzongda.
With regard to the proper road, Prime Minister said, “I have asked Dantak to look into it and if they do not do pave it, the government will carry pave it.”
