Monthly Archives: December, 0

After a topsy-turvy post-COVID-19 pandemic era, inflation rates in the country over the past few months have settled to levels that are healthy for economic growth. The latest numbers from the National Statistics Bureau show February’s year-on-year consumer price index at 4.33 per cent compared to the same month last year. Inflation measures the rate at which prices of goods and services increase in the economy.

An incomplete irrigation channel construction at Chhudzom  Gewog’s Pelrigang  B village in Sarpang has left the residents frustrated. According to the people, the contractor, responsible for completing the construction has only completed about 30 per cent of the work. The residents said that the contractor stopped the work when materials ran out and never returned to the site since June last year. The construction began in March last year and was supposed to be completed in November of the same year.

Going by the figures from the Department of Tourism, the tourism sector is finally witnessing the much-awaited surge in arrivals. Tourist arrivals for the first quarter of this year increased by almost one hundred per cent compared to the same period last year. Over 25,000 tourists visited Bhutan in the last three months. According to the Department of Tourism, 50 per cent waiver of the sustainable development fee since last year has made Bhutan more affordable for tourists and is an important factor for the rise in tourist numbers among other reasons.

When the construction of Dhamdum Industrial Park in Samtse started in 2016, businessmen and people in the district anticipated profits and economic development. Eight years on, the industrial park has not seen much progress. Several constructions have been stalled. The Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Employment has also cancelled the leases of 70 promoters so far.

The shortage of Liquified Petroleum Gas or LPG cylinders at the fuel depot in Gedu is not something new. According to the people living nearby, this has forced the people in Gedu, Bongo and nearby gewogs to travel to Phuentshogling to refill their LPG cylinders.

As the country aims to double its gross domestic product by 2029, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock is looking to contribute Nu 50bn to the economy in the next five years. Minister Younten Phuntsho shared this during a recent 'meet the press' session. The government's plans include promoting commercial farming, increasing farmers' income, and utilising high-tech farming methods, among other initiatives, to achieve the target.

The Isuzu pickup truck running on the BS6 engine model in the country seems to be giving the vehicle owners trouble due to issues with the engine. So far, 70 Isuzu BS6 model owners have complained about the vehicle engine giving troubles time and again. Attending to the complaints, the vehicle supplier also began replacing the engines of the Isuzu BS6 model.

Sangbaykha police in Haa have apprehended two men for alleged voluntary manslaughter, tampering of evidence, aiding and abetting, and failure to report a crime....

How safe are our data with the public institutions? Some of the most important public offices report cases of theft and burglary recently. Concerns are growing among the public following burglary incidences at the Thimphu District Court and the Department of Civil Registration and Census office in Thimphu. The census office was robbed of office equipment and documents.

It is the time of the year when companies listed under the Royal Securities Exchange of Bhutan declare dividends and bonuses. The news of companies declaring dividends and bonuses have stirred up investor confidence leading to high trade volume and rising stock prices in March.