Monthly Archives: December, 0

The Samtse Dzongkhag Tshogdu rejected the Municipality office's proposal to increase urban water tariffs by between 50 and 75 per cent. Instead, the recent Dzongkhag Tshogdu opted for a more moderate approach, agreeing to a 25 per cent revision of rates. However, this will only be applicable upon the successful completion of the ongoing water projects and when a reliable water supply in the town area is assured.

To distinguish and protect the intellectual property rights of arts and crafts originating in the country, the CRAFT BHUTAN trademark logo will be applied. The CRAFT BHUTAN logo will serve as a collective mark for local producers of authentic Bhutanese crafts. The Department of Media, Creative Industry and Intellectual Property launched the CRAFT BHUTAN logo as part of yesterday's World Intellectual Property Day celebration.

Police officers are often the first ones people reach out to when they want to break the cycle of violence. How they respond can make a big difference in what happens next for the victims and the support they receive from other organisations. To improve the police’s skills in responding to cases of violence, especially sexual and gender-based violence, ten police officers and five international participants completed eleven-day training of trainers in the capital, yesterday.

To cater to students dealing with substance use disorder in the country, the Ministry of Education and Skills Development is expediting the renovation of Kelki School in Yonphula, Trashigang into a specialised school. Talking to the media during yesterday’s meet the press session, Minister Yeezang De Thapa said that the ministry is considering annual health check-ups, including drug tests for students in seventh grade and above.

Bhutan has made significant progress in achieving the Universal Immunisation coverage target. The country has vaccinated 99.6 per cent of children so far. This is according to data released by the Ministry of Health in 2023. In line with World Immunisation Week, the next story reflects how the country’s immunisation programme has made its mark with continuous support from the United Nations Children’s Fund, or UNICEF since its inception in 1979.

During the Meet The Press session this afternoon, the prime minister said the Department of Tourism has been asked to draft the Standard Operating Procedure to implement the revised Sustainable Development Fees or SDF waiver for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions or MICE tourists. The government has agreed to implement the waiver in principle but is now awaiting the SOP for implementation.

The loan deferments for businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic are ending on the 30th of June. During today's 'Meet the Press' session, the finance minister informed that the ministry and the central bank will not intervene, instead, let the banks assess the situation. According to Finance Minister Lekey Dorji, experts from various multilateral banks and local economists have advised the government against the deferment.

As an initiative to mobilise the one billion US dollars fund for the conservation of tigers and tiger landscapes, the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP has presented the Tiger Landscapes Investment Fund as a sustainable financing. This is one of the many financing instruments to mobilise the USD 1bn over the next ten years. However, for now, the office has yet to secure the fund.

Local leaders in Zhemgang couldn’t move past the Bhutan Bird Festival which was held in November last year. During the district’s recent Dzongkhag Tshogdu, the local leaders recommended the district administration organise the Bhutan Bird Festival more efficiently, utilising locally available resources. They condemned the organisers of this time’s bird festival for hiring costly tents from Thimphu and not offering any opportunities to the people of Zhemgang during the festival.   

To help industrialists and business owners understand the importance and types of insurance for their businesses, Bhutan Insurance Limited, along with the central bank and the Samtse District Administration, held a day-long insurance literacy programme in Samtse yesterday.