A total of nine questions were raised by the members of the parliament to the Cabinet Ministers and the Prime Minister during the question hour.
The Prime Minister was questioned on the country’s economic situation and the government’s strategies to improve it, the government’s plan on the issue of the absence of a trade route and related issues faced by Jomotsangkha Drungkhag, and on the government’s plan to address the impact of the suspension of loans by the financial institutions.
According to the Prime Minister, the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is currently growing at a rate of 5%, which is comparatively higher than the current 3.5% global GDP growth rate.
“Because the import exceeds the export, the country has a negative trade balance,” said the prime minister.
The strengthening of human capacity, the substitution of imports, the improvement of communication, and the prioritizing of ICT are the government's main economic improvement initiatives.
The Prime Minister said that the Jomotshangkha Drunkhag trade route is not commercially viable for now regardless of the many problems endured by the people of Jomotshangkha Drunkhag.
However, the government has identified 13 different routes including the Jomotshangkha Dungkhag route which benefit the people. So, the government will have further discussions with the Indian Government.
The Prime Minister made it clear that the Royal Monetary Authority (RMA) had the authority to deal with the financial institutions' suspension of loans but the government had already requested the RMA to resume the loan to resolve the problem as quickly as possible.
In response to a query regarding the progress of the “Flagship Digital Drukyul Program, the Minister of Information and Communications, Karma Donnen Wangdi, stated that the Flagship Digital Drukyal Program’s overall status is currently at 72% completed as of last week.
The ministry also provides detailed information on the status of eight different projects that are under the Flagship Digital Drukyal Program.
1. The National Digital Identity, 77% of the project is completed where the ministry has collected biometric data from 482,381 Bhutanese.
2. The Government Initiative Network, which is 97% completed and the government is hoping to connect 1578 government agencies and institutes with the Fiber Optic Government Network,
3. the ICT Capacity Building project, which is 86% completed, the government trained 6039 Bhutanese under the ICT Capacity Building project in addition approximately 50 Bhutanese were trained as small and cottage industry entrepreneurs.
4. Integrated Citizen Services, which is 96% completed nearing,
5. the Digital School project, which is 84% completed,
6. the Integrated Business Licensing System,
7. The Electronic Business Information System is also progressing. However, the government feels that
8. The Bhutan Integrated Taxation System project will not be complete in its tenure even though it has many advantages for people.
The Minister of Work and Human Settlement was questioned on the start date of the black topping of the highway that passes through Khar and Tsebar, request to allow the construction of three-storied houses within the Gewog office premises, update on the status of the budget and Cabinet’s decision on construction of the 18km road connecting two Dzongkhag Zhemgang (Khomshar) and Mongar (Wama) and the status of the government’s pledge to construct a shorter route from Mongar Shelrichhu to Gyelpoizhing Nganglam highway.
The Minister of Works and Human Settlement, Dorji Tshering claimed that the decision to permit the construction of only a two-storied house near the Gewog office campus came from the Dzongkhag Tshogdu.
But, the Ministry will work collaboratively with the Local Government, and the Dzongkhag Tshogdu to bring some changes if the Dzongkhag Tshogdu submits the request to alter existing rules and regulations.
The Prime Minister was questioned on the country’s economic situation and the government’s strategies to improve it, the government’s plan on the issue of the absence of a trade route and related issues faced by Jomotsangkha Drungkhag, and on the government’s plan to address the impact of the suspension of loans by the financial institutions.
According to the Prime Minister, the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is currently growing at a rate of 5%, which is comparatively higher than the current 3.5% global GDP growth rate.
“Because the import exceeds the export, the country has a negative trade balance,” said the prime minister.
The strengthening of human capacity, the substitution of imports, the improvement of communication, and the prioritizing of ICT are the government's main economic improvement initiatives.
The Prime Minister said that the Jomotshangkha Drunkhag trade route is not commercially viable for now regardless of the many problems endured by the people of Jomotshangkha Drunkhag.
However, the government has identified 13 different routes including the Jomotshangkha Dungkhag route which benefit the people. So, the government will have further discussions with the Indian Government.
The Prime Minister made it clear that the Royal Monetary Authority (RMA) had the authority to deal with the financial institutions' suspension of loans but the government had already requested the RMA to resume the loan to resolve the problem as quickly as possible.
In response to a query regarding the progress of the “Flagship Digital Drukyul Program, the Minister of Information and Communications, Karma Donnen Wangdi, stated that the Flagship Digital Drukyal Program’s overall status is currently at 72% completed as of last week.
The ministry also provides detailed information on the status of eight different projects that are under the Flagship Digital Drukyal Program.
1. The National Digital Identity, 77% of the project is completed where the ministry has collected biometric data from 482,381 Bhutanese.
2. The Government Initiative Network, which is 97% completed and the government is hoping to connect 1578 government agencies and institutes with the Fiber Optic Government Network,
3. the ICT Capacity Building project, which is 86% completed, the government trained 6039 Bhutanese under the ICT Capacity Building project in addition approximately 50 Bhutanese were trained as small and cottage industry entrepreneurs.
4. Integrated Citizen Services, which is 96% completed nearing,
5. the Digital School project, which is 84% completed,
6. the Integrated Business Licensing System,
7. The Electronic Business Information System is also progressing. However, the government feels that
8. The Bhutan Integrated Taxation System project will not be complete in its tenure even though it has many advantages for people.
The Minister of Work and Human Settlement was questioned on the start date of the black topping of the highway that passes through Khar and Tsebar, request to allow the construction of three-storied houses within the Gewog office premises, update on the status of the budget and Cabinet’s decision on construction of the 18km road connecting two Dzongkhag Zhemgang (Khomshar) and Mongar (Wama) and the status of the government’s pledge to construct a shorter route from Mongar Shelrichhu to Gyelpoizhing Nganglam highway.
The Minister of Works and Human Settlement, Dorji Tshering claimed that the decision to permit the construction of only a two-storied house near the Gewog office campus came from the Dzongkhag Tshogdu.
But, the Ministry will work collaboratively with the Local Government, and the Dzongkhag Tshogdu to bring some changes if the Dzongkhag Tshogdu submits the request to alter existing rules and regulations.
