India hands over Nu 393.9 million to PM
4 February 2010
The ambassador of India to Bhutan, Mr Pavan K Varma, handed over a cheque for Nu 39.39 crores to Prime Minister Lyonchhen Jigmi Y Thinley as 30 percent mobilization advance for the implementation of the first lot of 441 small development projects (SDPs).
As part of assistance to RGoB’s 10th five-year plan (FYP), the government of India allocated Nu 700 crores for the SDPs in the key socio-economic areas, which are short gestation, community-oriented and impact lives of a wider cross-section of the society.
The first lot of 441 projects worth Nu 131.3043 crores cover all the 20 districts of Bhutan in the areas of drinking water supply, health, education, construction of administrative offices and community hall, roads, bridges, culture, irrigation channels and Renewable Natural Resource (RNR) centres.
These projects were identified in the first meeting of the Small Project Development Committee, comprising of members from the royal government and the embassy of India, in Thimphu in November last year.
The prime minister described the SDP as a very important form of support from the government of India to Bhutan. “It is a reflection of India’s special sensitivity and concern for the problem of poverty in Bhutan,” he said. “This money goes entirely to projects in the 205 gewogs and addresses the specific needs of the people at the grassroots.”
The Prime Minister said the Bhutanese people, particularly in the rural areas, are eagerly waiting for the projects and would be most happy to hear the money has been released.
Pointing out that SDP is “all important and pivotal”, the Indian ambassador said “the well-being of the people of Bhutan is also the well-being of India” and that all efforts will be made to expedite the clearance of further projects. The projects, joint cleared and approved by the two governments, were structured to prevent any delay and reflected the “nature and content of our collaboration”.
According to the GNH secretary, Karma Tshiteem, the SDP is a new financing window introduced between Bhutan and India in the 10th plan. Of Nu 34 billion support committed by India in the 10th plan, Nu 20 billion is provided as project-tied assistance, Nu 7.00 billion as programmme grant and Nu 7.0 billion as SDP.
“It will have a huge impact on poverty reduction and improving the lives of people living in the rural areas of Bhutan,” he said. “All the projects have originated from the local areas, from gewogs and dzongkhags, and reflect local priorities.”
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Loading ...Zakar for Friday March 12 2010
27th Day of the 01st Month - Iron Male Tiger Year
Auspicious for: Propitiating gods and deities, conducting chagu-yanglen, entering new houses, handing and taking over anything, holding discussions, starting construction of houses, sowing seeds and planting flowers. But it is she-zha (unfavourable day) for people who are born in the year of Mouse and Pig.
Inauspicious for: Arranging marriage, paying grain debts and conducting lue-cho.
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