Journal of a Young Parliamentarian
Gasa's National Council
Context The United Nations adopted the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) on 31st October 2003. UNCAC is the only globally binding legal instrument against Corruption. Bhutan became a signatory to the UNCAC in 2005. The two Houses of Parliament ratified the UNCAC with reservation to Paragraph 2 of...
The Gewog Tshogde is in charge of recruiting and appointing Gaydrungs (Gewog clerks) according to the Local Government Rules and Regulations of 2012, and they are responsible for managing the affairs of their respective Gewogs. Every Gewog should have an Administrative Officer (GAO), Accounts personnel, and Engineer, according to...
The fuel price has hiked more than doubled since May of last year, and the price of fuel is expected to continue until the global demand and supply stabilize. Prices are currently at a record high of Nu 95.19 a litre of petrol and Nu 100.55 a litre for...
His Majesty The King issued Royal Decree for Civil Service Reform during the 113th National Day celebrations in Punakha (Picture Courtesy: HM’s Facebook Page). Since the establishment of the RCSC in 1981, several reform efforts have been made to improve civil servants’ competencies and performances. Nevertheless, the core...
The parliamentarians in the past invested so much time and resources in deliberating the Tobacco Control Acts, but the recent amendment easily sailed through both the Houses of the Parliament without much debate, on the pre-condition that it is an “Urgent Bill.” However, I could not support the amendment...
The legalization of cordyceps collection following the Royal Command issued by His Majesty the King in June 2004 has tremendously improved the living conditions of the people in highland dzongkhags (Kuensel, 2005). The slaughtering of yak for meat dropped, and equality improved among the highlanders, dispelling division between haves...
In the 2nd sitting of the 27th Session of the National Council, the Natural Resources and Environment Committee of the House presented the follow-up report on the resolutions passed by the House on the RNR Marketing Policy in the 26th Session. The review was carried out to resolve marketing...
Gasa dzongkhag’s Mid-Term Review (MTR) for the 12th FYP was held on 14th May 2021. The Government looked into the status of development activities at the Local Government, quality of service delivery, budget allocation, explored ways to improve performance, understand challenges, and the way forward. Summary of 12th FYP...
Gasa, literally translating to the land of happiness, is a strategically located northernmost district in the country, safeguarding the nation since time immemorial. The dzongkhag is known for its rich biodiversity and unique culture and tradition: making it one of the best tourist destinations. Gasa is also famous for...
Until an effective vaccine for Covid-19 is ready, effective and well-designed lockdowns with reliable and easily accessible testing methods are the only way forward. Bhutan experienced nationwide lockdown twice since 11th August last year after a returnee from abroad tested positive outside the quarantine facility. Of late the government...
The Bhutan 2020 vision document targeted to provide electricity for all by 2020, in the 10th Plan. About 99.97 percent of the households in the country have been provided with electricity as of today but not all. Around 164 Households, 39 villages in 21 Gewogs under 17 Dzongkhags are...
Coinciding with an auspicious day, we have inaugurated the construction of a 15.5km farm road from Sephu gewog under Wangduephodrang to Gyentsa for the benefit of the people of Lunana gewog in Gasa. The Member of Parliament, dzongkhag officials, and local government leaders from two dzongkhags- Gasa and Wangdue-...
I raised my concerns during the 5th sitting of the 25th session of National Council regarding the supplementary budget appropriation of Nu. 5M, proposed and approved by the National Assembly on 11th February 2020 with 44 Yes votes. The same budget was presented again in the first week of...
In today’s session, I raised the following issues to the Hon’ble Finance Minister during the Introduction of the Annual Budget at the National Council (2nd Sitting of the 25th Session). The Government continues to accord high priority for the construction and maintenance of roads. For the fiscal year 2020-21,...
Climate change is a global concern today. It is hitting us hard, and that is due to an insatiable desire for so-called ‘unsustainable development; a concept propagated by some western thoughts. Bhutan has already felt the impact of climate change and more than 17 events had occurred in the...
Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and skill development pose a serious challenge, particularly in countries with rapidly evolving labor markets (ADB 2009). Recognizing the importance of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in the overall socio-economic development process, the Royal Government of Bhutan had introduced the...
It gives me immense pleasure to share that the plan to set up a mini-hydropower plant in Lunana looks positive. I learned from my visit (October 10, 2019) to the site that pre-feasibility study of the project is completed. The Government has allocated 7 million in the financial year...
Looming economy uncertainty with COVID-19 outbreak, but are we prepared for the Worst Case Scenario? According to a Bloomberg report by Cecile Daurat, the global economy has started to feel the strain of China’s viral outbreak- and the potential $160 billion hit in lost growth may be on...
Introduction The National Assembly had proposed five more Dzongkhags in the list to exempt payment of tourism levy taking the number to 11 and forwarded it to the National Council. The House of Review added four more dzongkhags making it to fifteen dzongkhags. This move surprised the general public,...
A lot has been done under the vibrant leadership of this nation to keep alive the unique and pristine culture of Laya: a hidden and remote village in Gasa dzongkhag. Today Laya is much evolved, but we could still preserve our actual image of being unique to other parts...
For improved communication services it’s important we extend our gratitude for their effort to connect the highlands I had a fruitful meeting today with the Managing Director of Tashi Cell and offered heartfelt appreciation for installing a mobile network in the Lunana and Laya gewog. I appraised to install...
The remotest gewog in the country, Lunana was connected with the B-mobile network in October 2011. But people availing the service experienced frequent network problems since the start of 2016. Following frequent network failures, Bhutan Telecom sent two separate technical teams for the inspection and installed a terrestrial radio...
Lungo Extended Classroom (ECR) is one of the most remote and northernmost schools located at an elevation of more than 4000 meters above sea level; high up in the Himalayas in Gasa dzongkhag. Laya Central School is the parent school of the ECR. The school benefited the localities of...
The celebration of feathered friends at Tingtibi in Zhemgang highlighted the potential of the place is one of the best birding sites in the region during Bhutan Bird Festival held from 11-13th November 2019. Otherwise, the town slept throughout the year. Zhemgang’s dream of exploring their richness in Eco-tourism...
Speech by Hon. Dorji Khandu, Member of Parliament of Bhutan, at the UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Madanjeet Singh 4th Memorial Lecture on the theme: The Role of Young Parliamentarian in the Regional Cooperation Venue: Jawaharlal Nehru Auditorium, Pondicherry University Date: 16th April 2019, 10:00 am Today we are gathered here...
This article is to express my heartfelt gratitude for the JICA Bhutan’s winter camp held in Khuruthang, Punakha for the students of Lunana Primary School under Gasa Dzongkhag last week. The initiative came during the time of the year where the students from the most remote Highland community would...
Soul of Gasa Lamai Singye upset with Punakha to Gasa road quality, Galem drives a low clearance car Blacktopping works of Punakha to Gasa secondary national highway (SNH) started on November 2016, and the tasks have been split into 3 phases. The contract works of Base course & Bitumen...
Rationale Growing up close to the community and having learned my early education at Gasa, I have experienced and seen all sort of difficulties and hard work the people of Laya and remote Dzongkhag of Gasa had to pursue to earn their living. Our fellow Gasaps for giving me...
The Natural Resource and Environment Committee and National Council members convened a consultation meeting with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests on 12th September and Legal status of Paris Polyphylla was one of the issues discussed amongst others. In this article, I will briefly share the summary of the comprehensive presentations...
Mountain Hazelnut Venture Private Limited (MH) is a Public-Private-Company-Partnership (PPCP) and Bhutan’s first 100% FDI Company. In an MoU with the Royal Government of Bhutan, both parties committed to enabling MH to plant 10 million hazelnut trees on the fallow and degraded land. MH creates long-term partnerships with farming...
The main purpose of a research proposal is to tell others that you have a worthwhile project to conduct and possess the necessary competence to carry it out. In other words, you have to tell people what you plan to do, why you want to do it, and how...
“A just society is the one where justice prevails throughout alike. To have equal right to approach the court is rendered useless if the right can’t be exercised. It is then, nothing more than a paper promise. The rich and influential can approach the courts because they have means,...
Coinciding with the auspicious Duechen Nga Zom or Lord Buddha’s Parinirvana, I’m blessed in manifolds to receive Dhar (Scarf) from His Majesty the King along with the Hon’ble Thrizin and other Hon’ble National Council members at the Tashichhodzong. While I expected a humble day, I’m doubly honored that the...
On the first gaze, Laya is a heavenly abode. Indeed, it is, for the place was blessed by no other than the Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel. Deep within, while being born human equates us to all our fellow citizens, geographical reality has secluded us for generations and has to go...
Dorji Khandu is a Member of Parliament at the National Council of Bhutan representing Gasa District. He is the recipient of the prestigious King’s Scholarship and the South Asia Foundation Scholarship...
