The National Council adopted the Mines and Minerals Bill of Bhutan 2020 and Charter of the SAARC Development Fund, today. The House also ratified BIMSTEC Convention on Combating International Terrorism, Transnational Organized Crime and Illicit Drug Trafficking.
The House adopted the Mines and Minerals Bill with 147 sections from the total of 150 sections submitted to the Legislative Committee of the Council for deliberations. One of the sections proposes establishing a Mining Regulatory Authority to regulate and monitor surface collection, and mining operations and issue permit for short term mining among many other functions.
The Bill also proposes to allocate mines and minerals lease to state-owned enterprises. Currently, the mines and minerals extraction in the country is given to a private individual on lease.
Until today, mining activities in the country were carried out as per the Mines and Minerals Act of Bhutan 1995.
The House also ratified BIMSTEC Convention for Combating International Terrorism, Transnational Organized Crime and Illicit Drug Trafficking in the region. The Convention will require Bhutan to exchange information and action related to a subject matter listed under the Convention.
The House also adopted the Charter amendment of SAARC Development Fund which proposes that resources and facilities be utilised for funding in projects involving one or more member state with the benefit going to more than one member state.
The House also adopted the five recommendations made by its Natural Resources and Environment Committee to address challenges impeding the operation and performance of the RNR sector in terms of marketing products. The committee recommended establishing smaller capacity cold stores, improving agricultural Market Information System and supporting the existing financial schemes related to farming.
Sangay Chezom, Sangay Dorji, Phub Gyem
