Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa’s (DNT) Party President Dr Lotay Tshering reassures voters in Chhoekhor_Tang constituency of fulfilling all the major pledges launched for the ongoing bye-election despite repeated claims of budget constraints from the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT). He said the country has enough capital budget though the COVID-19 pandemic hit the recurring budget.
Campaigning for the second time in Chhoekhor_Tang, Dr Lotay tried to demystify voters of the DPT’s stance of the inadequate budget in the country. DPT’s Party President Dorji Wangdi is, however, wooing support by sticking to the budget-constraint standpoint.
“The 12th Five Year Plan budget is already approved and allocated in the first sitting of the third parliament. We have now reached the third financial year of the Plan and its budget is also endorsed. Each financial year gets a certain portion of the budget from the overall Five Year Plan budget and there is no room for financing new developmental activities,” said Dorji Wangdi, the Party President of DPT.
“People have to understand the difference between capital and current expenditures. The current expenditure, which is to do with civil servants’ salaries and allowances, is shrinking as there is no tourism and manufacturing revenue like before. However, we have enough capital budget for activities such as constructing new roads, purchasing medical equipment and bringing in medical specialists from foreign countries,” refuted Dr Lotay Tshering, the Party President of DNT.
The DPT’s Dorji Wangdi reiterates why the DNT’s new pledges for Chhoekhor_Tang are questionable. Dr Lotay Tshering rebuts by saying the government is even launching a new nationwide project to lay farm roads with a base course project. This was not in the DNT’s pledges in 2018 and the pledges for Chhoekhor_Tang, he added, are easily doable.
“There is no chance whatsoever to recruit four specialists. If they recruit, they should provide a team with new medical equipment but there are even recurring technical failures at the national referral hospital that needs to be addressed. Likewise, there are still 23 Gewog Center roads that are yet to be blacktopped and the Gross National Happiness Commission is now saying that the blacktopping works for those roads need to be deferred to the 13th Five Year Plan. That’s because there is no adequate budget,” said DPT’s Party President.
“There is a lot of misinformation going on about inadequacy of budget. We have even come up with a new policy to lay a base course for 12,000 kilometres of farm roads across the country, which would cost the government Nu 16bn. That was not there in DNT’s pledges. The farm road in Chhoekhor Toed would only cost over Nu 100 M, which is comparatively a small-scale project. Similarly, if we fail to deliver the four specialists, I would consider resigning as the Prime Minister because that would mean I’m a liar,” said DNT’s Party President.
For now, the Health Ministry has no plans to recruit or send medical specialists to Bumthang in the current plan. According to the Prime Minister, although not in the plan, it will be undertaken as a separate initiative for the benefit of Bumthang’s people.
Meanwhile, people have their own say.
“The people are like children in the eyes of the politicians. They become easily swayed when one party comes up with pledges. But we haven’t got an absolute assurance as of now. However, when a party pledges, I think they have to deliver them by any means,” said Lekey Wangdi, from Kidzom_Nyimalung under Tang Gewog in Bumthang.
“We have full faith and trust in your Excellency the Prime Minister that you would deliver the promises. However, during the second democratically elected government’s tenure, the former Prime Minister assured us of blacktopping our road at the earliest but later we were told that our road didn’t qualify for blacktopping. So, we still have a reservation as to how our road will become eligible for blacktopping,” said Wangchuk, from Kharsa_Thangbi under Chhoekhor Gewog in Bumthang.
“We demand equal support for us from the government no matter which candidate gets elected,” shared Phuntsho, also from Kidzom_Nyimalung.
Amid the growing political rhetoric, voters in Chhoekhor_Tang will go to polls after six days and decide the fate of the constituency for the next three years.
Kipchu
