MTR: While explaining the issues and recommendations made during the mid-term review (MTR) in Pemagatshel yesterday, Dzongdag Phuntsho requested the government additional budget for execute spillover activities from the 10th Plan.

The dzongkhag is running short of Nu 387 million (M) to achieve the developmental activities of the 10th Plan. The budget outlay for the current plan is Nu 373M.

“The dzongkhag owes Nu 29.227M to the contractor for carrying out Denchi township development project,” said Phuntsho. He added that the work was completed on time, but GNHC has frozen the budget until further notice”.

Lyonchoen said that Pemagatshel is the only dzongkhag that is grappling with the problem of budget shortage.

“If such was the case in other dzongkhags, it would have been difficult to solve country’s economic issues like Rupee crunch,” said Lyonchoen. He added that this indicates that there was no transparency while carrying out the activities and the developmental activities were not planned well.

Lyonchoen, however, approved that dzongkhag’s request since developmental activities have been started already and need to be accomplished.

“Now that the additional budget has been approved, the pending bill issue should be solved,” said Lyonchoen. “The budget would soon be released.”

Of the dzongkhag’s 304 total key performance indicators (KPI), 174 have been achieved, 128 are on track, and two at risk.

According to the report, the dzongkhag has achieved more than 50 percent of the 11FYP targets. Of the 31 KPI of the dzongkhag’s key result areas, which includes improvement of quality of urban life, health status of the community and education among others, 12 have been achieved, 17 are on track and two at risk.

Some of the major achievements that the dzongkhag highlighted were establishment of four central schools and construction of 10 new farm roads, among others.

The dzongkhag saw an alarming incidence of infant mortality – seven deaths were recorded and two incidences of maternal mortality despite zero death target.

These, Lyonchoen said, should be treated as a biggest concern and reminded the local leaders to inform the people that hospital and health facilities are the safest places for child delivery.

“We must prevent such incidents in the future because such incidents are unacceptable in this age when the medical facilities and delivery services have improved,” Lyonchoen said.

Lyonchoen also reminded the people of the benefits of helicopter services in reducing mortality rate. “If this is done there could be fewer cases that the doctor cannot treat.” He reminded the people and the local leaders that no space should be created to allow corruption.

At the review meeting, Lyonchoen also launched a service delivery standard document prepared by the dzongkhag.

Yangchen C Rinzin,  Pemagatshel