The Cabinet is in Phuetshogling to review the compact signing agreements of five Southern Dzongkhags; Chhukha, Dagana, Samtse, Sarpang and Tsirang.
Dzongdas from the region presented their mid-term report of annual performance agreement signed with the government to the Prime Minister, last evening.
According to the presentations, all five Dzongkhags are well on track to achieve their plans. They have achieved the activities outlined to enhance food and nutrition security and increase rural household income.
The indicators of success are mainly cash crop productions, farm road constructions and commercial farming and cooperatives.
The Prime Minister, Tshering Tobgay commended on the progress so far. Though it is experimental this time, he said, the experience gained from it would serve as a baseline for the next financial year.
“Currently, the system of reporting is little improper. Information is collected by gewogs but dzongkhags do not have those information. Instead, information like total production of various crops has to be provided by the Agriculture ministry to dzongkhags. Therefore, we have to streamline this.”
The Prime Minister also said they need to re-look at target setting. “For baseline, this time’s results will give us some idea.”
He added proper setting of target would ensure that a dzongkhag’s targets conform to the ministry’s targets and those of ministry’s to 11th Five Year Plan.
One common challenge the dzongkhags face was increasing the Non- Formal Education rate. Long course duration, random instructors and learner dropouts and lack of limited manpower to monitor were some of the reasons.
Lyonchhen said the education ministry would review the NFE policy.
Delay in release of Small Development Project fund hampering the work progress was another issue the dzongdas highlighted.
During the meeting, Lyonchhen also informed the gathering about government’s plan to provide power tillers for every chiwog and opening of farmer shops. The government will also be opening a bank in every gewog.
