All the twenty Dzongkhags have pledged to enhance food and nutrition security and community health by ensuring water security for the fiscal year 2019 to 2020 in their annual performance agreement signed today.
Dzongdas of every Dzongkhags signed their annual performance agreement with the Prime Minister today in the capital.
Most of the Dzongkhags mentioned the construction of irrigation channels and farm roads as a means to enhance food and nutrition security. Annual performance agreement of most of the districts emphasized on how a lack of proper irrigation channel is a challenge to harnessing the expected outcomes to grow cereals and vegetables in full potential.
Besides, the districts also mentioned improving community health, enhancing local economy development and creating employment opportunity in their annual performance agreement.
Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering highlighted the importance of Annual Performance Agreement in making the districts fully responsible for driving implementation and delivering the results against the annual priorities.
“From next year, before signing the Annual Performance Agreement, it is important that everybody sits down and prioritizes the programmes and plans. And then only the APA shall be signed followed by budget allocation. It means there will be no disbursement of the budget until the APA is signed. This way, it is easier for all working towards achieving the priorities in the APA. We also have to ensure that when the APA is reviewed, the government will take back the budget if any of the priorities aren’t met. I think it’s important that this is reflected in the APA. If this is done, then there will be a sense of responsibility and concern among those working to achieve the targets reflected in the APA,” Lyonchhen said.
Along with the Dzongkhags, four Thromdes also signed their annual performance agreement with the government.
Performance agreement represents an important accountability mechanism for inculcating a performance-based culture.
Sonam Pem & Phub Gyem
