| English | Dzongkha | Saturday, May 8, 2021 |
With the election of the Thromde Tshogdes just at the doorstep, people are hopeful of better facilities. Voters of Gelegphu, Phuentshogling and Thimphu thromdes are hoping for a better road network and enough water supply. They are expecting the new Thrompon to bring about equal development in the thromde areas.
The Election Commission is gearing up for the third Thromde elections. In light of the current pandemic situation, ECB has planned out things differently compared to past elections. Beginning today, ECB will contact one of the registered voters of a household to collect data prior to the elections. This is expected to not only make the election process easy and comfortable for the voters but also minimize the risks of the spread of the Coronavirus.
The inflation in the country rose to 7.4 per cent in August compared to 3.3 per cent in March this year. The Prime Minister while presenting the State of the Nation report said the rise in the price of the commodities in the market is mainly due to restriction in imports of goods.
The country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is likely to drop further to -6.1 per cent. In the previous estimate in June, the economic growth was projected to decelerate at -2.1 per cent amid the blow from the COVID-19 pandemic. This is as per the Prime Minister’s State of the Nation Report.
The National Assembly today through a majority show of hands endorsed the proposal to form a joint committee to discuss the Mines and Minerals Bill of Bhutan 2020. The decision came after two Houses couldn’t agree on the very principle of the Bill. The National Assembly’s Economic and Finance Committee said the National Council changed all the recommended sections including the preamble proposed by the National Assembly.
Not only did the COVID-19 cripple the tourism industry in the country, but it has also left more than 50,000 Bhutanese unemployed. Presenting the State of the Nation Report, the Prime Minister said in the post-pandemic, government plans to make tourist guides, the country’s most valued tourism product.
The ceiling for the Hospitality and Entertainment Expenses for ministers or minister equivalent post holders has been set to Nu 1.5 M. Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering informed this during the Joint Sitting of the Parliament session today. With no ceiling for Hospitality and Entertainment expenses, ministers and minister equivalent post holders spent over Nu 5.5 M each as Hospitality and Entertainment expenses last year.
The non-bailable offence will only be the first-degree felony or above. The parliament endorsed the Joint Committee on the Civil and Criminal Procedure Code’s (CCPC) proposal to amend the non-bailable offence from a second degree or above to a first-degree felony or above.
Fronting is now a felony of a fourth-degree if it takes place between a Bhutanese and a person other than Bhutanese national. The Parliament yesterday endorsed the joint committee’s recommendation to include a new section related to fronting and its grading in the Penal Code (Amendment) Bill of Bhutan 2019.
The civil servants will receive their leave travel concession (LTC) by next month if the pandemic situation doesn’t deteriorate. This was shared by the Prime Minister during the question-answer session in the National Council yesterday. Lyonchhen said the government will be receiving around Nu 2bn from Mangdechhu hydropower. The Finance Ministry deferred the LTC for […]