KP Sharma

Paro – The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has committed to transforming Paro into a major tourist hub, ensuring equitable development comparable to the capital city.

The party’s president Tshering Tobgay met with the people of Paro at Wanakha Central School and Paro football ground yesterday.

During the meeting with the people of Naja and Dogar gewogs at Wanakha CS, Tshering Tobgay expressed his satisfaction with the opportunity to hold the meeting in the hall built during the PDP’s term as government, adding the positive impacts of central school on parents and students.

He promised to reinstate the central school programme if PDP wins the election.

He shared concerns about the state of the economy, civil servant attrition, unemployment and the mass exodus, among others. Tshering Tobgay told the gathering that PDP is ready to address these issues.

Tshering Tobgay pledged to personally lead initiatives to market tourism, aiming to attract 300,000 tourists, and providing support to guides and restaurants affected by a decline in tourist arrivals.

“When we have more tourist arrivals, obviously we have to improve our infrastructure,” Tshering Tobgay said.

Recognising the potential of Paro in paddy production, Tshering Tobgay stated the need for power tillers.

PDP pledged to assist farmers in purchasing power tillers, establishing repair shops that would create job opportunities for youth employment.

He said that PDP in the past distributed 1,800 power tillers and 20 excavators and 20 backhoe machines.

For farmers’ convenience in selling vegetables and farm products, PDP promised to explore different markets, change the auction yards and reinstate Sanam Tshongkhang.

The villagers were also promised that the party would provide adequate drinking and irrigation water.

To tackle the unemployment issues, Tshering Tobgay promised to help youths establish construction companies which would be fully managed by young entrepreneurs, with government support through the provision of construction projects.

“We will also help youths from weak backgrounds to go abroad with loan incentives if they are willing to work abroad,” he said.

Tshering Tobgay stated that the party in the past fulfilled its promises and started additional projects such as the creation of central schools and the construction of the east-west national highways that were not pledged in the election.

The party aims to enhance rural electrification, expedite approvals for home constructions within a day, empower local governments, and strengthen their human resource capacity.

Tshering Tobgay said that eliminating the post of gaydrung had adversely affected service delivery in the gewogs.

According to the president, they would deploy a doctor each in the gewog hospitals and the health of the people a priority.

Tshering Tobgay urged the people to revisit the manifestos of political parties and identify those with achievable targets.

Paro has two constituencies with a total of 21,293 eligible voters. PDP is represented by Sonam Tashi, 33, in Lamgong-Wangchang constituency, and Gem Tshering, 62, in Dokar-Sharpa constituency.