National News

…𝑭𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑯𝒆𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝑳𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝑻𝒆𝒄𝒉𝒏𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑰𝒎𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝑳𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒅𝒔 By Tshering Yangden Dagala, one of the remotest Gewog under Thimphu Dzongkhag gets Bmobile network service early this month with the installtiopn five network towers. It is expected to benefit 280 residents settled across five chiwogs namely Chamgang Toey, Chamgang Maey, Wangdrog, Doondrog, and Gyaltala with 95 percent network coverage. Of the …

…𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝑺𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝑺𝒐𝒂𝒓 𝒊𝒏 2025 By Yeshey Lhadon Mountain Hazelnuts (MH) reported a total yield of 10.4 tonnes, nearly double the 5.5 tonnes harvested in 2023 marking a significant milestone in the country’s hazelnut cultivation efforts, which continue to expand and thrive across various regions. Among the leading dzongkhags, Lhuentse emerged as the top supplier for the first time, …

…𝑪𝒂𝒃𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒕 𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝑶𝒖𝒕𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒐𝒏 𝑲𝒆𝒚 𝑵𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 By Kezang ChodenThree cabinet ministers presented the Action Taken Reports (ATR) on resolutions from the First Session of the National Assembly. The reports focused on key issues, including the establishment of a Crop and Livestock Compensation Trust Fund, enhancement of healthcare services, and the necessity of a Priority Development Fund. Lyonpo Younten …

…𝑵𝑨 𝒖𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒂𝒄𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒏𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒊-𝒄𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒖𝒑𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒆𝒇𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒔 By Lhendup WangmoMembers of Parliament (MPs) in the National Assembly (NA) called for reforms aimed at providing compensation and rehabilitation for individuals acquitted in corruption cases or whose cases are dismissed, during the review of the 2023-2024 Annual Report of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). The ACC’s report for the …

…𝑳𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒆𝒄𝒉𝒏𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒘𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝑩𝒉𝒖𝒕𝒂𝒏 Historically, women’s health has been significantly sidelined, with various aspects under-researched and underfunded. Despite women making up half of the global population, their specific health needs have often been overlooked in medical research and healthcare delivery. This neglect has led to substantial gaps in care, …

…𝑳𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒆𝒕 𝑰𝒏𝒇𝒓𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝑷𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒔 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑳𝒐𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝑽𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒐𝒓𝒔 By Kezang ChodenEvery Saturday, around 60 to 70 vegetable sellers gather at the local market in Norbugang Gewog in Samtse Dzongkhag. . But with only two small sheds, many are left without proper shelter. Thus, vendors construct temporary stalls, leaving them and their produce vulnerable to the natural elements,particularly during the summer …

…𝑰𝒏𝒔𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑺𝒕𝒖𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝑬𝒙𝒑𝒍𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝑺𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝑨𝒈𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 By Kezang Choden Samtengang Central School in Wangdue Phodrang Dzongkhag, is equipping students with hands-on knowledge of hydroponics. It is a soil-free farming technique designed to cultivate plants in nutrient-rich water. The school’s teachers aim to expand students’ understanding of sustainable agriculture, preparing them for potential careers in farming while addressing nation’s future food …

…𝑭𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝑩𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒇𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝑫𝒐𝒐𝒓𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒑 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑭𝒂𝒊𝒓 𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈 By Kezang Choden Food Corporation of Bhutan Limited (FCBL) has expanded its reach to directly procure cardamom from farmers across Bhutan’s southern, central, and eastern districts. This initiative marks the first time the corporation is purchasing the spice in large volumes, with the goal of reducing logistical burdens and ensuring fair market …

…𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒐𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒘 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒉 𝒗𝒆𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆𝒔, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝑳𝒂𝒚𝒂 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒆𝒓, 𝒃𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒅 𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒕𝒔 By Yeshey LhadonLaya, a semi-nomadic community perched at an altitude of approximately 3,800 meters above sea level in rugged mountain terrain, is experiencing the effects of climate change in unexpected ways. Traditionally, the Layaps, known for their yak-based food products, such as dried yaksha …

…𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓 11,500 𝑪𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒍 𝑺𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝑬𝒙𝒊𝒕 𝑺𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒆 2019 By Lhendup WangmoRoyal Civil Service Commission’s 2019-2024 report showed that over 11,500 civil servants have left their positions between 2019 and 2023, primarily due to retirement, voluntary resignation, and the completion of contracts. With a current workforce of around 29,000 civil servants, the Opposition Leader’s call for action comes at a critical moment …