Monthly Archives: December, 0

While the export of agricultural produce dropped comparatively during the second week of October, exports have picked up again. According to a report by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests (MoAF), the drastic drop resulted from issues related to Plant quarantine certification by the counterpart in India. The exports started to rise after the issues have been resolved.

The COVID-19 pandemic has displaced many workers and smothered numerous businesses. While laid of employees are trying to make a living by learning new arts, many businesses are still waiting for the government's directives to reopen. Like the tourism sector, entertainment business owners hope to reopen their businesses as the government starts relaxing restrictions on movement and sports.

With preliminary examination (PE) only two days away, the civil service exam division of the Royal Civil Service Commission (RCSC) is all geared up for the exams amid the COVID-19 pandemic.  The exams this year will be conducted with health and safety measures in place.

Better roads, enhanced lives; This is evident from the community of Sheley under Ruebisa Gewog in Wangdue Phodrang. The village is seeing a construction boom and improved socio-economic conditions of its people since the existing farm road was maintained for the Gyalsung Project site in the gewog. According to the locals, the new road is wider than before and as good as a highway. 

Farmers of Nyingshingborang under Norboogang Gewog in Pema Gatshel can now look forward to returning to growing paddy and even take up mass commercial farming of other crops. Their irrigation canal, which remained damaged for almost two decades, will be restored soon.

Aimed at reforming the agriculture sector and doubling of farmer’s income, Bhutan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) is organising the first-ever virtual conference of...

Due to the COVID-19 situation, authorities in Bumthang have increased the number of common forums to avoid crowding for the ongoing Chhoekhor_Tang bye-election. In a similar move, the candidates’ familiarisation tours have also been cancelled for this very first election in the country amid the pandemic.

Lhuentse police forwarded a case of alleged illicit trafficking of cannabis to the Office of Attorney General for the prosecution yesterday. Police arrested two men from Autsho in Lhuentse on last Wednesday in possession of over a hundred sticks of hashish. The perpetrators who are in their twenties are from Trashigang and Monggar.

The Road Safety and Transport Authority (RSTA) has temporarily suspended the driving licenses of two bus drivers who tested positive for the use of controlled substances. They tested positive for marijuana during a mandatory drug test conducted by the regional RSTA officials recently.

Despite the health care services being free across all three levels of the health care systems, the out-of-pocket expenditure for health care is on the rise in Bhutan. According to the Annual Health Bulletin 2020, the out of pocket payments increased from 11 per cent in 2010 to 20 per cent in 2016. Out-of-pocket payments are expenditures borne directly by a patient. According to international research, out-of-pocket expenditure forms a major barrier to health-seeking behaviour. The poor sections are forced to resort to borrowings or selling assets to meet this expenditure.