National News

…𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐬𝐢 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐛𝐡𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞-𝐢𝐧-𝐛𝐡𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐬. By Lhendup Wangmo A new Cottage and Small Industry (CSI) Market has opened in Samdrup Jongkhar, marking the third such outlet in Bhutan after those in Thimphu and Paro. The market is designed to promote locally made products both within Bhutan …

…𝒂 𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝒍𝒆𝒈𝒂𝒍 𝒅𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒑𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝑮𝑴𝑪 𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒅𝒚𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒄, 𝒔𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒃𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒉𝒖𝒃 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒖𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆, 𝒃𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒑𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑩𝒉𝒖𝒕𝒂𝒏’𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒗𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆𝒔 A historic chapter in the governance of Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) was written on Decmber 26, 2024 with the formal granting of GMC Law No. 1 of 2024, also known as the Application of Laws Act 2024. …

…100 𝒔𝒕𝒖𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒇𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄 𝒆𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏, 𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒖𝒂𝒍 𝒈𝒖𝒊𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒏𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒂𝒄𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒎𝒊𝒄 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒕𝒉 By Kezang Choden Lhuentse Rabdey, in collaboration with the Dzongkhag Education Sector, successfully conducted a 10-day Attitude Improvement, Education, and Skills Development program aimed at supporting students who need additional academic and personal guidance. The initiative, held from December 19 to 28, 2024, …

…𝒍𝒐𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒗𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝒑𝒍𝒖𝒎𝒃𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒔𝒌𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒔, 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇-𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒃𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒊𝒏 𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒈𝒂𝒏𝒈 By Kezang Choden The Department of Engineering and the Human Settlement Sector of Trashigang, in collaboration with SNV Bhutan, successfully concluded a five-day Water Caretaker Training program at Thrimshing Gewog in Trashigang Dzongkhag. Running from December 24 to 28, 2024, the program attracted 22 participants …

…𝒇𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒊𝒏𝒇𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒉𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒏𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒚 5%, 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒏-𝒇𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒅𝒓𝒐𝒑; 𝒑𝒖𝒓𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒑𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓 𝒅𝒆𝒄𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒅 𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒔 By Tshering YangdenThe latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) data for November 2024 reveals that country’s inflation rate has increased to 1.87% year-on-year, up from 1.34% in October 2024. This uptick signals a growing strain on household budgets, particularly driven by higher food prices, which have …

By Tshering YangdenThe Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences of Bhutan, in partnership with Bangla Interventional Therapeutics (BIT) of Bangladesh, hosted a significant international conference on cardiology on December 30, 2024. The event aimed to enhance the skills and knowledge of healthcare professionals, focusing on the latest advancements in the management of cardiovascular diseases. The conference brought together experts from …

…𝑰𝒈𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑬𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒄 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑺𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑻𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝑩𝒂𝒎𝒃𝒐𝒐 𝑭𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑫𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒓 By Kezang ChodenResidents of Kalapang Chiwog, Saling Gewog under Mongar Dzongkhag, are making strides in bamboo craftsmanship by producing furniture and decorative items such as sofas, tables, basket, beds, and lampshades. The initiative, which began in 2023 with support from the Tarayana Foundation, has not only empowered the women economically …

…𝑺𝒖𝒃𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝑨𝒃𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒕 By Lalit GurungThe nation is witnessing a troubling increase in the number of children in conflict with the law. This year, 240 cases were registered, a significant rise from 176 cases last year, according to the Royal Bhutan Police (RBP). The statistics highlight a growing issue that demands immediate and concerted action. Substance abuse remains …

…𝑷𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒍𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑭𝒍𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒕𝒐 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒚 By Lhendup WangmoEmerging entrepreneurs unveiled their latest products at the Samtse Entrepreneur Program, an event that attracted a wide audience of investors, business leaders, and aspiring innovators. Diverse array of cutting-edge solutions aimed at transforming various industries, from tech and fashion to sustainable agriculture and health were a part of the program. A group of …

…𝑫𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒆𝒅 𝑨𝒑𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒂𝒍𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑫𝒐𝒄𝒖𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑾𝒐𝒆𝒔 𝑭𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝑨𝒑𝒑𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒔 By Yeshey Lhadon & Lalit GurungThe inaugural Private Sector Conference in Bhutan has shed light on rising discontent within the business community regarding the implementation of the Economic Stimulus Program (ESP). Aimed at revitalizing the economy, the ESP has been criticized for its bureaucratic hurdles, leaving many private sector members frustrated and financially …