Dechen Dolkar 

The Bhutan Tendrel Party (BTP) has pledged to streamline service delivery at the grassroots level for more efficient operations.

During the party president’s campaign at Pangbang, Nganglam and Dechenling gewogs yesterday, Pema Chewang pledged to establish a people-centric and integrated public service delivery centre called “Mimang Zhabtog Teywa” in each gewog. These centres will have a dedicated officer providing commonly availed services, aiming to enable timely access without the need for people to travel to dzongkhags.

The president said that this initiative would mandate timely public service delivery, reducing turnaround times.

He also committed to reviewing, streamlining, and eliminating redundant and unnecessary rules and regulations that hinder efficient public service, particularly in areas like rural building drawings, construction approvals, timber, sand, and stone permits.

Currently, citizens face extended waiting periods of several months to a year for permits and services, requiring them to travel to dzongkhags or resubmit documents. The President assured that such redundant service deliveries would be streamlined.

He specifically addressed issues where people are required to obtain permits for extracting stone and timber from their own land, stating that this requirement would be eliminated

The president pledged to enact relevant laws, such as the Impeachment Bill, Interpretation Bill, Public Consultation Bill, Public Service Bill, and Public Procurement Bill, while also reviewing existing legislation.

He also committed to reviewing current taxation policies, including property tax, to simplify and improve the taxation system’s structure and procedures, eliminating double taxation on dividends.

In the fight against corruption, the BTP promised to prioritise the implementation of preventive measures by promoting ethical leadership at all levels of public institutions.

Pema Chewang pledged the need for fair and just laws, policies, and judicial systems, ensuring transparency in government institutions, organisations, and leadership decisions.

The president said that they would ensure that government institutions, organisations, and leaders are transparent in their actions and decisions, and internal control mechanisms are in place to improve the systems to prevent corruption.

He said they will create a more robust and inclusive system of government that is transparent, responsive and accountable to demonstrate consistency in actions and policies and adopt IT- enabled HR-related mechanisms to curb nepotism and favouritism.

In Pangbang,  the president pledged to develop Pangbang throm to yenlag throm with a modern tourism village. In  Dechenling, he pledged to construct river embankments in Telung, among others.