The Ministry of Works and Human Settlement (MoWHS) proposed for additional Nu 95 M for safe and sustainable human settlement activities during the 12th Five Year Plan mid-term review today. The ministry presented that the need for the additional budget is for review and preparation of Thimphu Structure Plan 2004, geotechnical investigations and developing a housing information database.
The ministry said there was an approved budget of Nu 10 M for review and preparation of Thimphu Structure Plan 2004. The works have already started in the fiscal year 2020-2021 so an additional budget of Nu 50 M is required to continue and complete the work. The ministry said it is time for the structure plan to be updated and that there were also some issues in the structure plan.
The ministry also proposed the need for an additional Nu 30M for geotechnical investigations and geo-database development. The approved budget for this purpose was reduced to Nu 30 M from an initial budget of 60 million. Therefore the ministry said additional money is required to carry out studies for Thimthrom and ad-hoc demands from local governments.
Also to enable updated data on housing and facilitate planning through informed decision making, the ministry proposed the need of Nu 15M. With the budget, the ministry will carry out housing needs assessments in rural and urban areas and develop a housing information database.
Although no concrete decision was taken on the approval of the budget, the Prime Minister said the pandemic has greatly affected the domestic revenue. The Prime Minister said activities related to human settlement can be kept away for later and focus on activities of more economic return.
Meanwhile, the ministry reported that over 60 per cent of the revised Five Year Plan outlay budget has been utilised.
Kinley Dem
