Thukten Zangpo
Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa’s (DNT) manifesto with the slogan, “Putting Nation First,” pledges to prioritise national interests over political interests.
The party promises a stronger, healthier, secure, prosperous, united, and self-reliant and thriving developed country by 2034.
To achieve this, the DNT stated that the groundwork for majority of party pledges has been already laid, and continuity is critical.
DNT’s manifestoes in detail here!
Health
The party pledged to eliminate cervical cancer by 2030 and also promised that not a single person should die from stomach cancer and pledged to continue screening and provide curative treatment.
The party promised to start liver transplants, super specialty fertility services, open heart surgeries, and dedicated plastic surgery services as specialists are getting trained.
The DNT committed to starting a dedicated ear, nose and throat (ENT) hospital, cancer hospital, and mental hospital. All gewogs to get a 10-bed hospital to reduce waiting time.
Education
The party pledged to increase stipend for feeding programme to Nu 2,040 from Nu 1,500 per child, to improve their diet as recommended by World Food Programme.
To achieve zero digital divide, the party committed to build information communication and technology citizens by improving the student-to-computer ratio from 1:10 to 1:5 and providing designed-for-student computers.
The DNT also promised to initiate three boarding schools in Thimphu to cater to lower-income families. At the same time, standardise schools into distinct early childhood education (up to class 3), middle level (classes 4-8) and higher level (Classes 9 to 12) with international standard onboarding facilities. There will be fully Ictised teaching and learning, and teachers will get full housing facilities.
The party also promised that the Royal University of Bhutan will be funded totally on an autonomous system through block grants or tuition fee hybrid mode.
Economy
DNT pledged to increase the country’s GDP per capita to USD 4,256 by 2029 and more than USD 12, 000 by 2034.
Having kickstarted and identified about 12 hydropower projects, the party also promised to generate an additional 3,000 megawatt (MW) of hydropower and harness 500 MW of solar power, through various new funding modalities.
DNT pledged to bring in 150,000 dollar-paying and 200,000 Indian tourists annually and also ensure the sustainable development fee is reinvested into the tourism industry.
The party assured to increase private sector investment from 40 to 50 percent and increase annual average household income from USD 5,000 to USD 30,000 by 2029.
As phase two of the National Credit Guarantee Scheme, the party pledges collateral-free loans from Bhutan Development Bank.
The party will also support one economic project per household, for those without anyone earning income in a household.
The DNT also promised to increase the share of the manufacturing sector to GDP from 6 percent to 15 percent and increase foreign direct investment from Nu 43.3 billion to Nu 100B in 2029.
The DNT pledged to create full employment with quality jobs. By 2024, create 1,000 jobs in the digital economy and increase the share of the digital economy to GDP by 10 times.
The party also pledged to enhance the income of the bottom 40 percent by four times, encourage careers in sports and build job opportunities, and certify 50 percent of the workforce in technical and vocational skills.
Agriculture
The party pledged the agriculture sector’s growth to GDP to improve at 7 percent to 8 percent annually. To increase from Nu 30 billion in 2021 to Nu 50 billion in 2029 by focusing on high-value agriculture and livestock production, processing, and marketing.
DNT promised to provide chain-linked fences on all farmland in the next three years. The party will allow landowners the right to determine the type of land use in areas with difficulties, such as lack of water, or disaster prone.
The party pledged to solve 100 percent remaining water problems.
Climate
The DNT pledged to initiate carbon market access and credit mechanisms with reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by investing in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable development.
The party also promised to invest in projects that contribute to carbon sequestration, enabling the carbon market to establish carbon pricing and drive investment in climate-friendly initiatives. According to the DNT, the primary discussions and negotiations have already begun.
Infrastructure
The DNT ensures to base course all roads, blacktop roads to major settlements and resurface all previously blacktopped roads.
The party will build affordable housing for all people in low-income groups, which is the bottom 20 percent of the population determined by the annual income assessment.
Local government
The party pledged to give 100 percent authority on the block grant by lifting the current guideline, “Annual Grants Guidelines for local governments 2022’ with an annual 10 percent increment on block grant. In the 13th Plan, Nu 75 billion is provisioned against Nu 50 billion in the 12th Plan as block grant.