Monthly Archives: December, 0

During the Question and Answer session, the National Council members asked the economic affairs minister, Norbu Wangchuk what the government’s plans were, in achieving hydropower targets. They said going by the current rate of developing hydropower projects in the country, Bhutan would take 600 years to realise its full potential of tapping 30,000 megawatt.

Of the 354 HIV positive patients in the country, 47 percent of them live in Chhukha and Thimphu. Number of population and existing social norms are the reasons for the higher number of HIV patients residing in Chhukha and Thimphu, as per the health ministry’s report.

As per the government’s directive, Drukair will start its flights to Gelegphu from December 17. It will operate once a week.

The National Council endorsed the tariff revision for tourists, which is US$ 250 per night, today. NC’s economic affairs committee members recommended that the government relook at the tariff, which has remained unchanged since 1970s. They said the government should come up with a new pricing mechanism.

The National Council’s Good Governance Committee proposed the government to establish independent decentralisation secretariat for the Local Governments. The proposal came up while the committee members were presenting the Local Governance Assessment Report in the National Council, today.

During their visit to Punatsangchhu Hydropower Project sites in Wangdue Phodrang yesterday, the MPs from the National Assembly questioned Project’s Managing Director, RN Khazanchi on the project’s cost escalations.

After reaching its lowest point at 3 percent in August, Bhutan’s consumer inflation climbed to 3.56 percent in October this year. Both food and non-food prices increased between September and October.