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By Lalit Gurung Gender-based violence within Bhutan’s Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ+) community is a critical issue that has often been overlooked. According to Pride Bhutan, an LGBTQ+ organization, among the 353 registered members, 11 percent reported experiencing bullying, 38 percent faced stigma, 36 percent encountered discrimination, and 8 percent had been subjected to some form of violence. …

By Bikash Mishra Rinzin Norbu, a 23-year-old para-athlete, is redefining the limits of possibility as a national table tennis player and an advocate for inclusion and resilience in Bhutan. With pride, he identifies as both a sportsperson under the Bhutan Table Tennis Federation and a recent graduate of Royal Thimphu College, where he completed his Bachelor’s degree in Commerce in …

By Tshering Yangden A three-day oyster mushroom cultivation training was recently held in Gomdar Gewog, Samdrupjongkhar Dzongkhag. Organized by the Barzor Vegetable Group of Bazor Village in collaboration with Samsara Farming, the training aimed to equip local farmers with the skills needed to venture into sustainable farming practices. Despite financial constraints, the Barzor Vegetable Group independently organized and funded the …

…𝑩𝒖𝒚𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒇𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒔 𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒅-𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒔 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒚 𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅, 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒗𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆 By Bikash MishraThe lifting of the vehicle import moratorium about four months ago by the government has sent ripples through the automobile market, with significant economic implications for both consumers and industry stakeholders. The resumption of vehicle imports has sparked renewed interest among buyers, but also led …

In a country like Bhutan, where Gross National Happiness (GNH) forms the cornerstone of its development philosophy, the decision to import inorganic fertilizers to boost agricultural production raises critical concerns. While the intent to increase agricultural yields is understandable, it is crucial to align such measures with the nation’s commitment to sustainability and holistic well-being. Bhutan has always been recognized …

…𝑹𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒆𝒔 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒏𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒈𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒌𝒆𝒚 𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒆𝒔 By Lhendup WangmoBhutanese drivers, particularly truckers and daily commuters relying on the Indian FASTag system for toll payments, are grappling with unexpected toll fee hikes that have turned travel into a financial and logistical nightmare. What was once expected to streamline travel has instead led to financial burdens, …

By Lhendup Wangmo Jigme Tshering, owner of Park Hotel, a prominent three-star hotel in Phuentsholing, Chukha, recently shared his thoughts on the pandemic’s impact on Bhutan’s tourism sector and the strategic steps his hotel has implemented to adapt to the changing market landscape. Jigme Tshering emphasized the importance of collaboration among stakeholders to achieve the Department of Tourism’s ambitious goal …

…𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚-𝑫𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝑰𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝑬𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒐𝒎𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑹𝒆𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒆 𝑰𝒎𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒔 By Kezang Choden The Darla Milk Processing Unit (MPU) in Chukha Dzongkhag is undergoing a transformative upgrade, paving the way for enhanced dairy production, economic growth, and reduced reliance on imports. The ambitious renovation project, valued at Nu 0.8 million, signifies a milestone for the community-led Darla Gonor Thoenked Gongphel Detshen, which …

…𝑬𝒎𝒑𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒇𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝑫𝒛𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒌𝒉𝒂𝒈𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒑𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝒑𝒍𝒖𝒎𝒃𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒆 𝒆𝒙𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒅𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒚 By Tshering Yangden A Plumbing Skilling Program, funded by the Department of Governance and Local Planning (DGLP) under the Department of Local Governance and Development Management (DLGDM), has been launched to enhance vocational skills and empower rural communities in Bhutan. Targeting five Dzongkhags such as Mongar, Lhuentse, …

…𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝑼𝒓𝒈𝒆 𝑨𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝑨𝒅𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝑷𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑾𝒐𝒆𝒔 By Tshering Yangden Residents of Chamgang under Dagala gewog in Thimphu are facing mounting transportation challenges due to insufficient and unreliable bus services in their area. While commuters within the city enjoy access to regular city bus services, those residing in Chamgang often find themselves relying on taxis as an option that …