PDP as the oldest political party in the Kingdom of Bhutan takes our sacred responsibility to provide alternative policies and constructive criticisms to the Government seriously. We offered our ten-point comments and suggestions to Lhengye Zhungtshog earlier, and now that the Government has tabled a Pay Revision Bill of Bhutan 2019 as money Bill in the National Assembly, here are our 11-point alternative views and comments:
First of all, we would like to commend the Lhengye Zhungtshog for introducing its first pay revision, and we thank the Government for taking note of our request to enhance the teaching allowance for our teachers who work under difficult conditions and to make teaching an attractive profession. We call upon the MPs in both the Houses to support this.
The ruling party had pledged a minimum daily wage of Nu 450 per day during the election that translates to a monthly minimum salary of Nu 13,500. Despite the increase, the salaries of O1-level and below public officials (that includes NFE instructors and Chiwog Tshogpas), will still be below the minimum wage.
We would also like to thank the Government for considering our request to give pay raise to our elected Local Government officials who have been left out of the Pay Commission’s recommendations citing the pay raise for them in 2017. However, we find that they are not given house rent allowances like other public officials. We strongly urge the MPs to support house rent allowance for them like other public officials.
PDP is also grateful to the Government for generously raising well-deserved allowances for clinical professionals. They all work hard and we fully support that. We are, however, concerned that other categories of civil servants – for example, ambulance drivers, engineers, BAFRA field staff, field surveyors, municipal officials, and field officials in Trade, Customs, civil aviation, etc., who may have been left out.
DNT had pledged to provide uniform DA across all ranks in the civil service leaving aside the executive ranks. While an increase of Nu 500 has been provided for the executive and P-level officials, the increase for S-level officials is only Nu 250. Since DA is to meet the expenditure for lodge and meals, the Government could have approved uniform DA for all officials as per their campaign promise.
The Pay Revision Bill of Bhutan and Pay Commission Report consistently mention the existing domestic help/maid for the PM and ministerial rank officials, and has approved allowances for maids at par with ESP. We would like to once again correct the fact that although there was such a practice during the first Government, the 2nd Government after careful review had done away with such facilities “until economy improves”.
We learn that although the Pay Commission did not recommend any increase in discretionary allowance of the MPs, the Government has approved an enhanced discretionary allowance of Nu 150,000 per year. A thorough justification may be required for the increase.
We thank the government for noting our recommendation by not increasing the red scarf allowance to Nu 10,000 per month. This certainly ensures that the Royal honour is not monetised and would not undermine that unique honour.
The Daily Allowance (when both food and lodge is arranged) is increased from 20% to 50%. However, the Government has approved 100% DA claim when accompanying the PM, Ministers and the equivalent positions during in-country travels. Does this mean that the officials will be asked to arrange their own food and lodge? If not, this 100% DA should be applied to all public officials when both food and lodge are provided. There is confusion when “DA rates shall be revised for public servants accompanying the PM, Cabinet minister and equivalent positions to 50% while travelling outside the country”. Does this mean that the PM, Cabinet ministers and equivalent positions would claim DSA on actual basis when travelling abroad? Otherwise, the accompanying officials should be allowed to claim 100% DSA.
DNT has pledged to give vehicle quota to all citizens and increase Nu 800,000 quota ceiling to 1.5 M. However, the Government did not seem to have worked on it while allowing PM, Cabinet ministers and equivalent positions, and MPs to monetise at Nu 1.5 M while all others monetise at Nu 25o,000.
Finally, the Government has tabled the Pay Commission recommendations to the Parliament as a Money Bill but they have not followed the parliamentary procedures. While this has allowed the Government to seek public views and pander to populist demands, it has compromised the integrity and sanctity of a Money Bill as envisioned by our constitution. The procedure requires a Money Bill to be made public only on the day Finance Minister tables in the National Assembly. This is to prevent a Money Bill pandering to populist moves.
