Achieving economic self-reliance by 2020, improving rural life and providing employment to every youth are the three prime areas Druk Phuensum Tshogpa’s (DPT) manifesto focuses on.
To achieve the self-reliance by 2020, DPT will continue to have a sustainable economic growth with an average of 8 percent growth rate during the eleventh five year plan.
“For Bhutan, the greatest potential lies in hydro-power. That is why DPT decided that instead of 5000 megawatts, which was the only target, we would like to see Bhutan produce 20,000 megawatts by 2020,” said Druk Phuensum Tshogpa’s Officiating President, Yeshey Zimba.
Yeshey Zimba said even if they do not complete 20,000 megawatts, they would be quite close to it. “And projects should be under implementation. So this will go a long way in enhancing the self-reliant of Bhutan.”
One area DPT would target to achieve self-reliance is private sector development. DPT says they will facilitate and support private sector in every possible way.
Eradication of poverty yet another area DPT says they will focus upon.
To improve rural DPT will consolidate and improve the quality of all the services established in rural areas under the Common Minimum Programme. The services are roads, electricity, health services, education and telecommunication. To uplift the livelihood of the rural people, commercial farming will be further strengthened.
“Through better coordination with the Agriculture and Forests Ministry as to what should be produced, what are the things that are needed in Bhutan and what can be produced profitably compared to imports and where it can be sold through proper marketing. So we will be focusing a lot on cooperatives.”
Besides this, DPT has pledged to provide full employment to every youth in the country. To fulfill this pledge DPT will appoint a Deputy Labour and Human Resources Minister. The Deputy Minister will shoulder the responsibility of informing the office of Prime Minister on how youth are being employed on timely manner.
“We have now pledged that the Labour Ministry will have one full time Deputy Minister to look at how to place people in jobs. To know where the jobs are available and what kind of requirements are there,” said Yeshey Zimba. Yeshey Zimba said the Deputy Minister will be fully informed about the job seekers. “He will actually have the list of people so he will place them.”
DPT’s other pledges include increasing tourists arrivals in the country to 2,00,000 annually during the 11th five year plan and therefore increasing tourist revenues to more than 400 million dollar ever year. In so doing, the DPT will focus on promoting balanced tourism related programmes across the country.
DPT also is promising to honour and serve senior citizens. They said they will promote spiritual, emotional and physical well-being of older people through family and community-based care. Add to this, DPT will arrange 50 percent travel concessions to the elderly citizens while availing any modes of public transport services.
For those who cannot look after their parents due to financial constraints, DPT pledges to give them gratitude allowance to look after the parents. This will be done by supplementing the incomes of low income families with some kind of state subsidy. Among other pledges are urban development and well-being, promoting harmony, peace and security within the country and nurturing media for a vibrant democracy.
