𝐍𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚 𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐬 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬, 𝐒𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲

…𝒈𝒆𝒘𝒐𝒈𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒃𝒍𝒐𝒄𝒌 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒅𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒑𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒓𝒐𝒂𝒅𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒈𝒆𝒔 𝒅𝒂𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒚 𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒇𝒂𝒍𝒍

By Tashi Tshewang

The Ministry of Finance has clarified that there will be no separate budget allocation specifically for monsoon-related restoration of farm roads, despite increasing concerns from local governments over the financial burden caused by such damages. This clarification was issued in response to a written inquiry by the Member of Parliament from the Kilkhorthang-Mendrelgang constituency, who highlighted the strain on gewog finances under the current funding mechanism. The MP pointed out that Barshong Gewog had to spend Nu 4.5 million and Padtshaling Gewog Nu 3.5 million on monsoon restoration works, which significantly disrupted their planned development projects.

The MP said, “Using the gewog block grant for monsoon restoration has become a financial burden.”
In its written response, the government stated that annual budget allocations are based on the approved five-year plan outlay of each budgetary agency. Although the 13th Five-Year Plan has increased the overall Resource Allocation Framework (RAF) for local governments from Nu 12 billion in the previous plan to Nu 13 billion, there is still no separate fund for monsoon or disaster restoration at the gewog level. According to the Ministry, the RAF for the fiscal year 2024 to 2025 allocates 12 percent of the total budget, which will increase to 20 percent in the following fiscal year.

Of the Nu 34 billion total outlay, gewogs are expected to receive between Nu 1.56 billion and Nu 2.6 billion annually. However, this allocation must cover all planned capital activities, including response to disaster damages.
Phuntsho, the Gup of Dophuchen Gewog in Samtse, said, “Our gewog is located in a region that experiences heavy rainfall every monsoon season, and with the size of our gewog being quite large, the impact is even more severe. We try our best to allocate around Nu 10 to 12 lakhs every year specifically for farm road maintenance, but honestly, it’s never enough. The rain causes repeated damage, and we find ourselves constantly patching the same roads. The people in remote villages are especially affected when the roads get washed away, their access to basic services is cut off.”

Although the gewog receives government funds, local leaders have said that the money must be distributed across several development priorities. As monsoon damages increase each year, the lack of a dedicated restoration budget is putting pressure on gewog administrations to choose between repairing critical roads and continuing other essential projects.

He further said, “We did receive a total budget of about Nu 9 million under the block grant, but that amount has to cover everything such as schools, health, water supply, and other infrastructure projects. We cannot use the entire sum just for farm roads, even though they are crucial. At this very moment, there are two major farm roads in our gewog that remain blocked simply because we do not have the funds to clear them. People are waiting, and we are doing what we can, but without additional or dedicated support, it is becoming harder to keep up with these recurring problems.”

Santa Lal Powdel, the Gup of Barshong Gewog, expressed deep concern over the repeated impact of the monsoon on the gewog’s development activities. According to him, each year, a significant portion of the gewog’s annual budget, close to 45 percent, is being spent on monsoon restoration works.

He said, “Every year, nearly 45 percent of our gewog’s grant goes into monsoon restoration. Most of the restoration works are concentrated in our gewog. Despite our best efforts to manage within our allocated budget, we have not received any additional or separate funding from the ministry to address monsoon damages.”

He also said that although major development activities are carefully planned and prioritised through public consultations and discussions, many of them remain unimplemented due to the diversion of funds toward restoration works.

He added, “The current budget is simply not adequate to cover both restoration and development. We have already submitted multiple requests for a separate or additional monsoon restoration budget, but we have not received any support so far. And now, with the monsoon season starting again, further damages are already occurring.”
The Gup emphasised that without proper intervention and dedicated funding for monsoon-related damages, critical development in the gewog will continue to be severely hampered.

Changa, the Gup of Thangrong, said, “Right now, we have no choice but to wait for the next financial year’s budget. Until then, people in our gewog are struggling without access to proper farm roads. The damage from the monsoon has cut off many routes, and it is affecting daily life.”

He added, “We really expect the government to allocate a separate budget for monsoon restoration. Using our regular block grant for such emergencies is not sustainable. A dedicated fund would help us respond faster and still continue with our development plans.”

Tenzin Wangchuk, the Gup of Mongar, said, “Using the Gewog Block Grant for monsoon restoration has significantly affected our ability to implement planned development activities. This grant is meant to support both current and capital expenditures across the gewog. But when we are forced to divert it toward repairing roads, bridges, irrigation channels, and other infrastructure damaged by heavy rainfall, our priority development works are either delayed or scaled down. It is frustrating because these are emergency situations that demand immediate response, yet we have to cut from our long-term plans to handle them.”

The Gup highlighted that the increasing intensity of monsoon-related damages driven by climate change is exposing the limitations of the current funding structure and putting local development at risk.

He added, “The damage we are seeing now is far beyond what our fixed annual budget can manage. Landslides, floods, road blockages—these disasters have become more frequent and more destructive. Emergency expenditures are unpredictable and often large, but the current budget system is too rigid to cope. Without a dedicated climate resilience or emergency fund, we cannot build stronger, more sustainable infrastructure, nor can we plan effectively. People lose trust when we cannot deliver on promised projects. It is time we have a separate contingency fund, either at the Dzongkhag or Gewog level, to respond to these growing climate challenges without compromising our development goals.”

The Finance Minister has stated that agencies, including local governments, are required to prioritise restoration and reconstruction activities from the approved annual capital block grants.

For immediate disaster response, the government assured that financial support would still be provided in line with disaster financing guidelines developed in collaboration with the Department of Local Governance and Disaster Management (DLGDM) and the Ministry of Home Affairs. The Annual Grant Guidelines 2024 now mandate local governments to align their priorities under Local Government Key Result Area 7, which emphasises efficient and citizen-centric service delivery. Despite this framework, concerns remain among local leaders regarding the long-term sustainability of financing monsoon restoration through existing grants, especially as climate-related damages intensify each year.