Dechen Dolkar 

The Bhutan Tendrel Party (BTP) is pledging social welfare allowance for senior citizens, for persons with disabilities, and for other vulnerable groups in the communities, as they campaign in the Eastern dzongkhags. 

The BTP President, Pema Chewang, pledged to provide financial allowances and other support to senior citizens of 65 years and above, and other vulnerable groups. 

At a campaign in Ngatshang and Chaskhar gewogs in Mongar yesterday, the president spoke on the need to create a prosperous, united, progressive, happy and a compassionate society. 

The party will focus on individual households as a bottom-up strategy to achieve national economic prosperity, he said.

Correcting institutional barriers and systemic flaws, improving service delivery, rewarding new ideas, and empowering people to work harder for increased income were crucial steps, he said. 

“No household should be left behind in contributing to national development,” he said. 

Taking forward on the social welfare, the BTP is also pledging comprehensive annual health checkups for citizens and palliative care for the terminally ill, family-friendly policies such as paid parental leave, flexible working arrangements, affordable childcare services, public and private housing affordability, and home ownership quotas for civil servants with over 30 years of service.

In Udzorong gewog, the party promised to increase rural life insurance from Nu 30,000 to Nu 150,000 maintaining the same premium rate of Nu 75. 

The party’s manifesto also outlines plans to encourage broad-based ownership and equity in the mines and minerals sector to enable citizens to earn idle income.

Pema Chewang told Kuensel that the party’s primary objective was inclusive prosperity so if the party had the opportunity to form the government, they would work together with all social groups, irrespective of their background and ethnicity, to achieve national prosperity.

Bhutan Tendrel Party (BTP) pledged to expedite the construction of Kholonchhu Hydropower project, which had come to a halt. 

During the campaign at Trashiyangtse, on Thursday, BTP President Pema Chewang, said that if the party is elected, Kholongchu project will begin immediately. 

He said that all the financial modality and infrastructure is ready.

Talking to voters in Bumdeling-Jamkhar and Khamdang-Ramjar constituencies, he said that the roads are in poor condition. 

“It is our priority to blacktop all roads,” he said. 

BTP pledged to prioritise and complete construction of ongoing large hydropower projects to generate 2,442MW to stimulate economic growth. 

The party pledged to initiate additional 8,886MW large and small hydro power projects and alternate renewable energy by exercising viable operational modalities that are mutually beneficial and efficient. 

The party will implement Kuri Gongri, Chamkharchhu, Wangchhu, Nyera Amari, Sunkosh and Bunakhachhu  hydropower projects.

The party pledged to facilitate and encourage participation of the private sector in construction of medium and small-scale hydro-power projects to enhance skills and capacity.