Owners of the Gungtong or empty houses in Lumang Gewog, Trashigang will now have to deposit Nu 3,000 annually to the Gewog. The amount will be used to pay various taxes.
This was decided in a meeting held recently in the Gewog.
The initiative is expected to encourage people to return to their village. Until now, in absence of a house owner, the representatives have been paying taxes on their behalf.
There are 85 empty houses in Lumang Gewog alone. While many left their village in search of better opportunities, some people leave to live with their children working in urban towns. And those back in the village have to bear the brunt.
“Even when I call them to send money, they never do it. I have to pay taxes for two houses. My mother died 12 years ago. Since then, I have been paying taxes for the land and houses all by myself,” shared a villager, Tshendi.
Another villager, Sonam Jamtsho said representing others is not easy.
“When we represent others, we have to attend meetings for ourselves and theirs too. So we have to lock our house and could not do any work.”
Abandoning the houses has also hampered the Gewog administration in carrying out the developmental activities. “It is difficult to undertake developmental activities when we have less Gungs or houses. When we propose for a school, the education ministry ask how many Gungs are there. And it is same with the health ministry. So with less people and Gungs, it hampers us,” stated Lumang Gup, Wangdi.
The Gewog is also exploring avenues to retain young people in the villages.
Lumang Gewog has 725 households.
