PM Dr Lotay Tshering
Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering said improving the livelihood of Highlanders deserves a dedicated office under the agriculture ministry, so it has been dropped from the government’s list of Flagship programmes. Lyonchhen shared this yesterday at the Question Hour session of the National Council.
Prime minister was asked on the status and financial allocations of the Flagship programmes. The House also questioned the modalities considered to determine the identification, resource allocation and implementation of the flagship programmes.
“Upon extensive discussions, we found that improving the livelihood of Highlanders is very important and cannot be identified as a flagship programme. For that need to allocate a separate budget and human resource to the agriculture ministry and that it should be included within the overall development programmes,” Prime minister said.
As he informed the House that improving livelihood of Highlanders was scrapped, some members suggested the government to retain it while a few others expressed their disappointment.
“If the government could consider piloting the programme in 12th plan and if it goes well with proper implementation and then include it in the general development programmes after the 12th plan,” Haa MP Ugyen Namgay suggested.
“The government’s vision is to narrow the gap between the rich and the poor. Narrowing the gap between rich and poor does not just imply the gap in terms of a monetary asset. For me, it would mean giving equal access to infrastructure to everyone across the country. I am not happy about the government’s stand on including the programme in the overall development plan. Earlier, it was considered a major programme with a budget of Nu 1.5bn,” Gasa MP Dorji Khandu said.
Lyonchhen said if a separate division under agriculture ministry is set up for highlanders it will benefit them not just for five years but for generations.
“The current programme is targeting only three districts. We have many other highland communities in other dzongkhags as well. We need to look into future aspects as well.”
The prime minister was also questioned on the DNT’s pledge of setting up a mini hydropower plant at Lunana. For now, it has been kept on halt due to budget constraint.
Eminent Member Phuntsho Rabten asked the government if enhancing the TVET sector can be considered as a flagship programme as well.
“TVET sector has the potential to solve unemployment issues. If we prioritise enhancing TVET sector as a way to solve unemployment issues, think about the benefit it would bring in cutting down the expat workers we have today in the country. It also has the potential to improve our people’s skills.”
To this, the prime minister responded saying that they received the council’s recommendations and they will be looking into it.
“We received the council’s recommendation on making TVET an independent institute or a university. We have taken note of it. In the education sector, we have plans to make skills development part of the curriculum from the seventh grade. So the students can specialise and study in the fields of their interest after high school. If that doesn’t work well we will consider setting up an independent institution or university for TVET.”
The session also saw members asking the government on making every dzongkhag a tourist destination.
Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering said while it will be impossible to send in an equal number of tourists to all the districts, the government can look into dividing the revenue from the tourism sector equally for all the districts.
He also informed the house that the government will be implementing nine Flagship programmes in the 12th Five Year Plan.
The flagship programmes are integrated water security with a budget allocation of Nu 3bn, building the capacity of teachers in the education sector, diversifying Cottage and Small Industries by providing lowering interest on loans. There are also programmes on taking healthcare to rural doorsteps, exporting organic produce to high-end hotels and markets, waste management, building Digital Drukyul an online system that will contain critical data. There is a budget allocation of Nu 15bn in the 12th plan for the programmes.
