The government will allocate Nu 12bn for the Socio-cultural Resilience and Community Vitality Programme. According to the Draft 13th Five Year Plan, this programme aims not only to strengthen community vitality but preserve and promote culture while enhancing overall social well-being.
The Draft 13th Five Year Plan emphasizes the importance of Bhutanese identity and cultural heritage in strengthening community vitality and promoting cooperation and wellbeing.
The document states that the decline of customary institutions such as community self-help practices and social support networks is concerning.
Citing the Centre for Bhutan and GNH Studies’ GNH 2022, study, the document states that besides cultural diversity and community vitality indices, cultural participation and Driglam Namzha indices have dropped over the years.
Additionally, the sense of belonging to local communities among Bhutanese has decreased as well.
In addition, divorce rates in the country rose significantly over a five-year period, increasing from 2.1 percent in 2017 to 3.4 percent in 2022. According to the Bhutan Living Standards Survey 2022, in 2022, over 16,000 individuals were reported to be divorced, an increase of over 2,000 divorcees compared to more than 14,000 in 2017.
Furthermore, the document also highlights that the rising number of Bhutanese, especially youth, living abroad for long periods could lead to disconnect from Bhutanese identity, values, and culture, causing their erosion.
Amid these socio-cultural issues, the 13th FYP intends to strengthen community vitality with the implementation of the Socio-cultural Resilience and Community Vitality Programme.
Border management, disaster and emergency readiness, social protection, public safety and cultural preservation and promotion, and the promotion of Brand Bhutan are some of the areas that the programme will focus.
Through the programme the government will strengthen the country’s relationship with other nations and entities ensuring a unified foreign policy through proactive strategic engagements.
Community vitality will be enhanced by reducing criminal activity and improving public safety. To safeguard lives and property, priority will be given to mitigating risks of fire-related incidents, and promoting safer roads and reducing accidents.
Moreover, the programme will have a heightened focus on prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and enforcement strategies to combat substance use disorders.
According to the programme’s plan, the construction and restoration of dzongs, lhakhangs and other cultural institutions will contribute to preserving tangible cultural heritage. In addition, efforts to uphold and promote Bhutan’s intangible cultural heritage will include the digitisation of cultural and religious events, creation of a conducive environment for custodians of spiritual heritage, and engagement of the younger generation in local culture and language through digital technology.
Cabinet Secretariat, Ministry of Home Affairs, Royal Bhutan Police (RBP), and Dratshang Lhentshog are some of the agencies that will be spreading the programme.
Kinzang Lhadon
Edited by Phub Gyem
