The remarkable story of Khenadrang resettlement programme
Neten Dorji
Pemagatshel—A decade ago, Sangay Tshering and his family left their small plot of land in Waphai, a remote village in Pemagatshel, and resettled in Khenadrang in Zobel gewog, Pemagatshel.
At that time, Waphai was a three-day walk from the nearest road and a four-day journey from the district centre. Most villagers lived in difficult economic conditions.
“Many young people had left the village in search of better opportunities, leaving the elderly to fend for themselves,” recalls 78-year-old Sangay Tshering.
“It was difficult for elderly ones, particularly when they fell sick.”
Khenadrang offered a new leash of life to the resettlers.
Today, they have access to modern amenities such as electricity, reliable water supply, well-maintained roads, and nearby healthcare facilities. Most families have better homes and improved their livelihoods.
In 2011, 44 families from Waphai and Chongshing were granted Kidu through the National Rehabilitation Programme (NRP). Initiated by His Majesty the King, the programme aimed to alleviate poverty and enhance the living standards of landless and socio-economically disadvantaged people.
Khenadrang Tshogpa Yonten Thinley said that 44 households were selected including seven households from Nanong gewog—mostly from Waphai Village in Shumar gewog.
Under the NRP, beneficiaries received land, shelter support, and assistance for income generation, along with vital socio-economic services.
The programme was a collaborative effort involving the Office of the Gyalpoi Zimpon, the National Land Commission, and the erstwhile Gross National Happiness Commission.
The Khenadrang resettlement was one of five projects under the NRP that have benefited a total of 245 households across Pemagatshel, Haa, Lhuentse, and Samdrupjongkhar since 2011.
Minjur Wangmo, who owns 2.83 acres, chose to stay in Khenadrang after her parents received Kidu land. She raises livestock, including cattle and poultry, and cultivates cereals and vegetables.
“Those days, we had to cross three major rivers to reach the hospital, often requiring us to stay overnight on the way,” she shares. “What His Majesty has done for us is beyond words.”
Another kidu recipient, Tashi Chenzom, a mother of two, also raises livestock and grows vegetables and some cash crops on her 50-decimal land inherited from her parents. The land is sufficient for her to earn more than Nu 30,000 annually from selling ginger. “I will continue to pray for His Majesty for this opportunity,” she says.
Another beneficiary, Tshering Dema, experienced great difficulties before relocating to Khenadrang. Today, she owns 2.31 acres of Kidu land. “We received not only land but also cattle, poultry, farm equipment, and shelter. Our King is a true Bodhisattva,” she says.
Before resettling at Khenadrang, villagers had to walk on foot, through dense forest and difficult terrains, to access basic services. “Now, we no longer have to carry heavy loads or sleep in caves during our travels,” Tshering Dema adds.
Yeshi Dema, 60, grows ginger and peanuts, providing her family with a stable income despite annual fluctuations in harvests. “My grandchildren go to school like everyone else, and that’s all I need,” she says.
For families like Pema Choden’s, life has transformed dramatically. Her family’s first cow recently gave birth to a female calf, providing them with a steady supply of milk. “Having a milking cow has made life so much easier,” she says, adding that the dzongkhag administration office distributed 28 cattle to Khenadrang residents.
Khenadrang is home to 47 households from the once-remote villages of Chongshing, Waphai, and Borphu in Pemagatshel.