Local leaders of Tsirang are requesting the finance ministry, and the infrastructure and transport ministry to provide them with a lumpsum budget for the maintenance of Gewog Centre roads. They said the existing Nu 30,000 per kilometre every year is not enough when they carry out major maintenance. Local leaders said works can be carried out conveniently if they get the five years’ budget as a lumpsum amount at a time.
Today, most Gewog Center roads in the district are in bad shape and in dire need of major maintenance.
But local leaders say it is difficult for them to carry out major maintenance works with a limited budget, which gewog administration receives on an annual basis.
The issue was raised during the Dzongkhag Tshogdu last month.
“So far, we have been carrying out the road maintenance from the annual amount. Currently, the gewog centre road is in poor condition and the budget is not enough,” said Garja Man Rai, Tsirang Toed Mangmi.
“At times, in a year, there are several roadblocks and damages. So, if we can get the five years’ budget at a time, we can carry out the maintenance accordingly,” said Tshering, Mendrelgang Mangmi.
“It would be better if the house could unanimously decide and write to the government requesting for budget. But proposing five years’ budget at a time might go against the rules,” said Top Nath Acharya, Semjong Gup.
“Now my suggestion to the house is to write to the government requesting to look into the possibility of changing the existing budget to a capital budget. That way we can do the maintenance. This is because we can use the additional budget from the Gewog’s block grant if required,” said Kintu, the chief district engineer.
The Chief District Engineer suggested the house propose the government to change the broadhead from recurrent to capital budget.
After extensive deliberation, the house decided to write to the relevant ministries either to change the broad head of the budget or for a lumpsum budget.
The Dzongkhag Tshogdu has yet to forward the letter to the ministries.
Pema Tshewang, Tsirang
Edited by Tshering Zam
