The Members of the National Council, today, said people at the grassroots are yet to understand Gewog Development Grant (GDG) and how it is put to use.
Gewog Development Grant, started in 2013, is an annual allocation of Nu 2 M to each gewog, to be used for development activities at the gewog level.
The gup, in consultation with other local leaders and locals, can decide to use the amount according to the need of gewog.
A few NC members said lack of awareness on GDG has given birth to lack of proper planning and monitoring.
National Council’s Good Governance Committee said to achieve decentralization, there is a need for people at the grassroots to participate in deciding how the fund should be utilised.
“Most people are not aware of the fund. The government, dzongkhag, and gewog have failed to create awareness,” said Trongsa’s NC MP, Tharchen.
Some of them also said GDG is distributed equally to all the gewogs despite varying in size and population.
Because of lack of awareness, GGC committee reported, Nu 32.8 M was diverted into infrastructures which are not useful.
The National Council will seek clarification from the two ministers; home and finance.
