Farm Road: To facilitate better market access to farmers and improve the quality of farm inputs including shortage of farm labour, agriculture minister Yeshey Dorji, inaugurated the first “Farm Shop/Sanam Tshongkhang” at Sephu gewog in Wangduephodrang on May 17.

According to a press release from the ministry, the “semi business venture” will have to guarantee the farmers’ a market for their local produce, sell farm inputs like seeds and fertilisers and provide hiring services of farm machineries and retail basic food and essential items.

The minister also launched a Gewog Banking Service centre at Sephu as part of the government’s financial inclusion policy. The Bhutan Development Bank Ltd will provide the banking services in the community information centres.

According to the press release, the Gewog Banking Service will work in two phases. First it will provide banking services such as cash deposits, loan repayments, withdrawals, balance inquiry, fund transfers, remittance, mobile phone top-ups (B-wallet) and in the next phase it will provide utility bills payments service. 

Younten Tshedup