The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Local leaders call for jobs, business opportunities and fair compensation as hydropower project progresses
Residents and local leaders of Trashiyangtse have welcomed the Khorlochhu Hydropower Project (KHPL), seeing it as an opportunity to boost economic activity and create new development opportunities in the dzongkhag. However, during the consultation meeting in Trashiyangtse, they stressed that the benefits of the project should reach the local community, particularly through employment, business opportunities and improved markets for local produce.
Local leaders said the project should give greater priority to local workers and contractors. With a large workforce expected to be engaged in the project, residents believe local businesses and farmers could benefit from increased demand for goods and services.
Farmers also hope the project will create a reliable market for locally produced vegetables, dairy products and other agricultural goods. They said greater involvement of local people in project activities would help ensure that the benefits extend beyond temporary employment.
According to KHPL, a total of 2,713 workers are currently engaged in the project, of whom 970 are Bhutanese. Of the Bhutanese workforce, 383 are from Trashiyangtse, accounting for around 40 percent. The project has also created employment opportunities through subcontractors appointed by the major contractors for various project-related works. This includes domestic workers engaged by the subcontractors.
Meanwhile, KHPL and its major contractors have hired 388 heavy and light vehicles for the project, of which 86 are from Trashiyangtse. The project said the figure does not include excavators and other earthmoving equipment hired by the contractors. It also excludes vehicles engaged by subcontractors for miscellaneous project related works, as well as heavy vehicles regularly used by major contractors to transport cement, steel and other construction materials.
KHPL has not set a specific target for local employment. However, DGPC and KHPL have proposed to the Royal Government of Bhutan that around 30 percent of the total workforce requirement for each project be considered for local employment, subject to the availability of suitably skilled workers in the domestic market. According to the project, local workers are being engaged across a wide range of positions, from professional and technical roles to manual and support work. These include engineers, managers, consultants, finance officers, human resource and administration officers, safety and security personnel, and environmental and social staff.
Local employment also includes technicians, operators, office assistants, accountants, riggers, surveyors, geologists, quality control staff, concrete workers, bar benders, procurement personnel, cooks, dishwashers, laundry staff, sweepers, helpers and drivers. The project said the proposed 30 percent share would depend on the availability of suitably skilled Bhutanese workers in the domestic labour market. This approach is intended to increase local participation across different levels of work as project activities continue.
KHPL has faced several challenges in recruiting and retaining local workers, according to the project. The challenges are mainly linked to the limited availability of local workers and a mismatch between the skills available in the domestic labour market and the requirements of the project.
The project said the seasonal availability of workers has also affected recruitment, as many manual workers leave their jobs during agricultural seasons, religious occasions and festive periods. Low retention has been another concern, with some local workers leaving their jobs after working for only a few weeks or months. According to the project, some workers are also reluctant to take up jobs at underground sites or work in difficult conditions involving dust and humidity. These working conditions have made it difficult to attract and retain local workers for certain positions.
The project also cited higher wage expectations among local workers compared to expatriate workers as another challenge in retaining the local workforce. The project said these factors have made it difficult to maintain a stable local workforce despite efforts to increase local employment.
The project has said that the availability of adequate local manpower and vehicles remains limited in Trashiyangtse, making it difficult for the project to meet all its requirements from within the dzongkhag. According to the project, Trashiyangtse currently does not have sufficient numbers of workers and vehicles required for project activities. The project said this has limited the extent to which local people and businesses can participate in the construction work.
The project also encouraged local businesses and service providers seeking opportunities during the construction period to explore business opportunities directly with the major contractors working on the project. It said local businesses could better understand the requirements of contractors and identify areas where they can provide services or supplies. The project said the limited availability of the required workforce and vehicles is one of the factors affecting local participation. It encouraged residents and businesses to engage with major contractors and explore available opportunities as construction activities continue.
