His Majesty with Desuups and project planners at Semjong Water Project site

His Majesty The King arrived in Thimphu yesterday from Tsirang, after granting an audience to the 44th Batch Desuups in Tencholing on the way.

While in Tsirang, His Majesty visited the worksites where work is ongoing to build infrastructure to supply irrigation and drinking water to the people of Dangreygang chiwog, at Semjong.

His Majesty granted an audience to the dzongkhag Covid-19 task force in Tsirang February 14, before arriving to Semjong in the evening. His Majesty spent the evening, which was the 10th Anniversary of Desuung Raising Day, with the desuups who are working on the Semjong Water Project site, and spent the night in the gewog.

Semjong is the site of the second pilot Water Project under the Desuung National Service Progamme, which commenced on November 25. 45 Desuups are working on the project, together with dzongkhag engineers and MoAF. The project will include watershed conservation, construction of large reservoir tank for dry land irrigation, piloting micro-irrigation technologies such as drips and sprinklers, automation of the micro-irrigation system, and improved technology for crop production.

The water projects under Desuung National Service was initiated in response to His Majesty’s Command in September 2020, that there must be opportunities created for Bhutanese youth to participate in worthwhile nationwide projects which would be of benefit to the people for posterity. Subsequent Desuung Training Programmes included a specialised water resource management component, and young Desuups from the 42nd batch onwards were encouraged to join the projects.

“I am very proud to be a part of the Water Project at Semjong. Our work today will benefit the people of this community for generations to come, by improving access to water for drinking and irrigation, in turn increasing productivity. This will mean improved income, and contribute to national food security and even better quality food for national consumption,” said Desuup Nakul Mishra, who is one of the Desuups working at the project.

Four other pilot Water projects are underway in Guma Gewog in Punakha, Saling Gewog in Mongar, Langthel Gewog in Trongsa and Geling Gewog in Chhukha. His Majesty The King visited the Guma Water Project Site during the Losar holidays, and granted Audience to the 70 Desuups working there. The Project at Guma, the first pilot project, is expected to benefit over 1,800 people in Phulingsoom, Changyuel Thara Tashijong, and Docha Ritsa, by making drinking water accessible to 258 households. The Desuups in Guma are working on building an intake structure, two transmission lines, and two reservoirs.

Desuung is working with the relevant agencies of the Royal Government to start a series of similar projects across the country. Three more projects in Paro, Dagana and Pemagatshel Dzongkhags are expected to start by the end of March, 2021.