His Royal Highness Gyaltshab Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, accompanied by Ashi Yeatso Lhamo, inaugurated two projects on Land Use Certificate (LUC) for 38 unemployed youth in Lumang and Yangnyer gewogs in Trashigang yesterday.

The project began as a component of land kidu in Lhuntse last year. The project among others is aimed at addressing youth unemployment through commercial farming and enhancing economic productivity in rural areas.

In Lumang gewog, the site is located at Kheri, about 3km from Reserbu junction along the Wamrong-Samdrupjongkhar highway. A total of 19 acres of land has been identified for the project in the gewog.

Agriculture officials said the land is ideal for plantation of quinoa, asparagus, sweet buckwheat and vegetable among others. The area located at an altitude of 1,600 to 1,800 metres above sea level.

One of the youth in Kheri, Tandin Wangmo, said that she always wanted to become an educated farmer. “I could not continue my studies after class X so I joined a private security firm in Thimphu,” said the 21-year-old. “However, I always wanted to come back home and work in the field.”

For the past two years Tandin Wangmo has been helping her parents in the village. “I was informed of the LUC project by the village tshogpa and I knew this was the opportunity I was looking for,” she said.

The Gyaltshab also inaugurated a site in Trashiyangtse last week. Similar projects will be inaugurated in Samdrupjongkhar and Pemagatshel in the coming week.

Younten Tshedup | Lumang

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