The government has received over Nu 1.2bn from the Government of India under the High Impact Community Development Projects or HICDP programme for second phase. The Indian Ambassador formally handed over the cheque to the finance minister today. This funding will support nearly 300 projects approved during the second Bhutan-India HICDP Committee meeting held last month.
The projects include drinking water supply, construction and maintenance of irrigation channels and farm roads, health facilities, agricultural land development, agricultural marketing, and other rural infrastructure development.
Similarly, around 280 projects were approved in the first phase, which are being implemented across the country.
To date, 45 projects have been completed, while most of the remaining ones are nearing completion since the start of Bhutan’s 13th Five-Year Plan in July last year.
Officials visited three project sites in Thimphu, the construction of the North City Bus Terminal at Dechencholing, construction of Bazam near the Centenary Farmers’ Market, and the blacktopping of the Danglo-Wooluna Chiwog Road in Thimphu.
Chencho, the Director of the Office of the Cabinet Affairs and Strategic Coordination said, “The GoI today has released a new 1.2 billion ngultrum and now it is our duty to implement these projects on time. So, the Ministry of Finance, particularly the Department of Macro-Fiscal and Development Finance and the Cabinet Secretariat will be working closely with the local governments to ensure that these resources are used productively and ultimately we need to ensure that these resources benefit the citizens of the country.”
Out of the Nu 85bn that India has committed towards Bhutan’s 13th Five-Year Plan, Nu 10bn has been earmarked for High Impact Community Development Projects.
With this latest release, Bhutan has now received almost 50 per cent of the total funds committed for HICDPs by the Government of India.
Namgay Wangdi
Edited by Tshering Zam
