There were worries and insecurities over losing their livelihoods among around 200 Gaydrungs in the country when the government issued an executive order to discontinue the post in April this year. But looks like all is not lost for the former gewog clerks. Riding on the years of experience they had acquired while in service, three former Gaydrungs in Tsirang started a business which provides documentation services to the locals in the district.
The documentation service centre is located just above Damphu Melamthang. The centre provides around 16 online and offline documentation services.
The services include drafting official letters, online land transactions, preparing documents related to civil registration and census for newborns, tax filing, applying for online clearances and printing services among others.
The former Gaydrungs of Semjong, Barshong and Kilkhorthang Gewogs have been operating the centre throughout the week from mid-June this year.
“When we were relieved from the respective offices, we were worried that the knowledge and experiences we gained as gewog clerks might become useless. So, we decided to put it to use and make a living out of that. That is how we opened the centre which provides gewog-related services to people in the district,” said Tandin Dorji, Manager of Excellent Documentation Service Centre.
“We provide documentation services within a day which otherwise used to take at least three days in the gewogs. This would help people to complete work faster in the gewogs. Moreover, people coming from other districts will not have to take long leave from their offices. We also offer our services at very affordable rates,” said Kinley Wangdi, an office assistant with the centre.
“Over the years, we can avail of the most government services online. But some villagers are facing difficulty in availing themselves of online services. So, we provide G2C services, license renewals and also help in corresponding to official online exchanges,” said Penjor Wangdi, an accountant from the centre.
The centre sees around six to seven customers every day. Some customers said the opening of such centre is timely.
“The documentation centre has eased the lives of common people while accessing documentation services. The centre is also very reliable and convenient because they have better experience and knowledge on drafting any kind of official documents since they worked as clerks in the gewogs,” said Tshering Nidup, a customer.
“After the Gaydrungs were relieved from the gewogs, it is quite difficult for us to access basic documentation services from the gewogs. We don’t meet gewog officials at times because of other official engagements. The centre provides services every day,” said Kumar, a customer.
Damphu town now has three private documentation service centres catering services to over 20,000 people in the district.
The Gaydrungs were last given a three-year contract by the Cabinet in 2019 after the Royal Civil Service Commission’s organisational development exercise found their position irrelevant in 2016.
Pema Tshewang, Tsirang
Edited by Phub Gyem
