Monthly Archives: December, 0

The Bhutanese economy shrank to an all-time low of minus 10.08 per cent last year amid the pandemic. It is almost a 16 per cent drop as compared to a growth of 5.46 per cent in 2019. The economy of a country is measured by the Gross Domestic Product or GDP, which is the total goods and services produced within a country during a given period of time.

Very soon Bhutan will be able to enjoy high-speed internet. Bhutan Telecom is testing 5G network in its premises which will soon be commercially launched while TashiCell plans to launch the network before the year ends. 5G is the fifth generation of mobile networks which is expected to be one of the fastest wireless technologies ever created. It is expected to be ten times faster than the 4G network.

With the completion of the 400-bedded quarantine facility at Amochhu in Phuentshogling, it is expected to address the shortage of quarantine facilities in the district. The facility was consecrated today. Upon command of His Majesty The King, the government began the construction of the facilities in July this year.

To cultivate the values of amity, allegiance, unity, and harmony and to instil good human traits and values are some of the core principles Desuups live by. To develop and strengthen these ethics, the central Monastic Body organized a Buddhist tradition orientation and training programme for some 60 Desuups recently.

The long-standing water issue in Gangtokha village of Paro has finally been addressed. A water project to provide sufficient and safe drinking water to more than 50 households was completed recently. The residents in the village were facing acute water shortages for the past two decades.  

Hopes are high as farmers in Tashichhoeling chiwog under Tareythang Gewog in Sarpang get a new irrigation water supply. His Royal Highness Prince Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck inaugurated the 1.7-kilometre long Singyechhu Irrigation project on Wednesday.

His Majesty The King is in the East on a Royal Tour, having visited Punakha, Trongsa, and Bumthang before arriving in Gyalposhing. During the tour, His Majesty visited the various De-suung National Service Water Project sites to meet the De-suups who have volunteered to build robust water management infrastructure in those parts of the country with longstanding water supply issues.

To ensure that donation drives and crowdfunding are genuine, the department of law and order has now put in place certain requirements. Henceforth, the department will create a new bank account for individuals or organizations seeking donations or crowdfunding. And once the approved amount is raised, the department, in coordination with the Royal Monetary Authority, will restrict any further deposits into the account.

Following the go-ahead by the government, plot-owners in Autsho town of Lhuentse have begun preparations to construct houses. But this has heightened the worries of other residents who don’t own plots in the Town. They have been living on private land on lease but have been told to vacate now. 

The Tourism Council of Bhutan (TCB) is recognized among the World’s 75 Most Innovative Organizations in Tourism Policy 2021. The ranking was announced by ‘Apolitical’, a for-profit company in collaboration with the United Nations World Tourism Organization and Mastercard, an American Multinational Financial Services Corporation on Monday.