National News

…𝒔𝒐𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒈𝒏𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒔 𝒅𝒆𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒏 𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏 𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒂 𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒔 By Yeshi DolmaOwning a home has long symbolized stability and success. But for many Bhutanese in growing towns, that dream is slipping away as property prices rise, incomes stagnate, and loan conditions tighten, redrawing who can afford a roof of their own. A …

…𝒕𝒐𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒓 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒔𝒆𝒆𝒌𝒔 𝒔𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒕𝒉 𝒃𝒆𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒂𝒑𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝒊𝒏𝒗𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 By Yeshi Dolma Bhutan successfully graduated from Least Developed Country (LDC) status. The next aspiration is bold: to reach high-income status by 2035, as envisioned in the 21st Century Economic Roadmap. Yet, beneath this ambition lies a critical question: can the nation grow efficiently enough to …

…𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒇𝒐𝒐𝒅, 𝒎𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒆, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒆𝒇𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒔 𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒊𝒕 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 By Leki ChungdonResidents of Sektenachiwog in Gakiling Gewog, Haa, continue to face severe challenges after multiple landslides triggered by heavy rainfall on October 5 blocked the main road connecting the chiwog to Denchukha. The landslides have completely cut off vehicle access, leaving the route barely passable …

…𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒂𝒈𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒍𝒂𝒖𝒏𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒗𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒈𝒆-𝒍𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍 𝒂𝒈𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒈𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒇𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒆𝒕𝒔, 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒆𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒚, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 𝒂𝒄𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒔 𝒅𝒛𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒌𝒉𝒂𝒈𝒔 By Leki Chungdon The Department of Agricultural Marketing and Cooperatives (DAMC) has introduced Aggregator Networks (AGNs) as a process innovation to transform agricultural marketing in the country. The initiative, already functioning in Chhukha, Samtse, and Pema …

…𝒄𝒚𝒄𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒔 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒂𝒄𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒆𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒖𝒂𝒍 𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒉𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑩𝒖𝒎𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈 𝒗𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒚 By Tashi Tshewang Bhutan is gearing up for another thrilling adventure as the 2nd Edition of the Bumkora 100KM Mountain Biking Challenge is set to take place on November 11, 2025, in the serene Jakar, Bumthang Valley. This high-altitude …

…𝒇𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒊𝒎 𝒂𝒃𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒂𝒔 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒍𝒔 𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈-𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒎 𝒔𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒃𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 By Lhendup Wangmo A chainlink fencing project is transforming rural agriculture in Sombek under Sangacholing Gewog, Samtse Dzongkhag, bringing renewed hope to 72 farming households. The initiative, designed to protect over 90 acres of fertile wetland from wild animals and stray cattle, …

…𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒅𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒈𝒈𝒍𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒄𝒌 𝒅𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒖𝒅𝒔 𝒂𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒅𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒍𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒅𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒍 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝒓𝒐𝒂𝒅 By Leki Chungdon Commuters and industrial workers traveling along the Samtse Daina Industrial Park road are facing growing difficulties as thick dust clouds and poor surface conditions continue to plague the construction stretch. The situation has worsened in …

The dream of owning a home has long symbolized stability and dignity. It reflects more than a financial milestone; it embodies belonging, security, and the hope of a better future. Yet in the country today, that dream is slipping beyond the grasp of many ordinary earners. The steady rise in real estate prices, the strain of stagnant incomes, and the …

…𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒂𝒍𝒔 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒇𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒏𝒖. 300,000 𝒂𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒔 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒈𝒆 By Yeshi DolmaWith inflation at 3.8 percent and expected to reach 5.8 percent by December, low-income households across Bhutan are struggling to manage rising living costs. Families earning below Nu. 300,000 annually are facing immediate pressure as essential expenses such as food, fuel, and transport take …

…𝒂 𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒇𝒊𝒆𝒅 5 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒂𝒙 𝒐𝒏 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒊𝒎𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒚 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆, 𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒆 𝒃𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇-𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒂 𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒇𝒊𝒆𝒅 5 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒂𝒙 𝒐𝒏 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒊𝒎𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒚 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆, 𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒆 𝒃𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇-𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 By Kinzang LhamoBhutan will implement a single-rate Goods and Services Tax (GST) from January 1, 2026, replacing the existing sales …