LG: With a two-day 12th Five Year Plan (FYP) guideline sensitisation programme concluding yesterday, gups and mangmis of Samtse are now versed in planning, investing in and implementing developmental activities.
Samtse has 11 new gups from 15 gewogs.
Tendruk gup, Nima Dukpa, who is also the Dzongkhag Tshogdu (DT) thrizin, said local leaders would now be able to plan more effectively. He added that the sensitisation was timely given the number of new gups.
One of the new gups is Sameer Giri of Sipsu. He said that the workshop has enabled local leaders to determine what to consider for development and how to plan for its implementation.
GNHC officials presented the Plan’s budget outlay projections to the local leaders. Of the projected budget of Nu 115 billion (B), Nu 15B will be allocated to the thromdes, and the rest divided between the local and central governments.
GNHC chief planning officer, Lhaba Tshering, said that the formulation of the guidelines is the first stage in formulating the 12th Plan. “It’s as inclusive as possible,” he said, adding that consultations were made with all the stakeholders including youth groups.
Agricultural development activities, poverty eradication, and preserving and promoting culture and tradition were some of the key areas local leaders chose to present during the workshop.
Yoeseltse gup, Ganga Prasad Limbu, said agriculture activities would cover much of the development goals for his gewog. The gup also said the workshop had made him understand more about rural-urban migration and unemployment in his gewog.
Ganga Prasad Limbu said he would utilise the community contract amount of Nu 1.5 million to address such issues. The community contract is the total amount a gewog can spend to engage people in the gewog for development works.
“Now I understand this can generate employment opportunities among the youth in my gewog,” the gup said, adding that employment would reduce rural-urban migration.
Pemaling gup, Khemraj Ghalley, said that the workshop had been informative in regards to considering the sustainability of any development activity.
The sensitisation workshop will also be conducted in other dzongkhags in the country.
Rajesh Rai | Samtse