BBSCL

Despite Bhutan’s goal of boosting the digital economy to contribute USD 300M to GDP by 2029, the IT sector remains ineligible for loans under the Economic Stimulus Programme. The Finance Minister explained that ESP loans are focused on sectors that directly support production and import substitution, categorizing the IT sector as part of the excluded services. As of last month,...

The country’s electricity sector is expected to grow by 19.8% this year, driven by the Punatsangchhu-II Hydropower Project. The construction of Small Hydropower Projects and new hydropower projects are also expected to add to the growth. However, the tourism sector is anticipated to bounce back to the pre-pandemic level only in 2027, affecting the growth target set under the 13th...

There has been an increase in cardiovascular disease risk by over two per cent in the last five years. This is according to the National Health Survey 2023. Cardiovascular diseases are one of the most common non-communicable diseases. It includes heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure, affecting the heart and blood vessels. The National Health Survey 2023 showed that...

Bhutan’s biodiversity hit a new milestone with the National Biodiversity Centre identifying 17 new snails and slugs. All these species are new to science, meaning they are discovered for the first time in the scientific community. The country has now recorded over 200 species of the invertebrates.  Among the new discoveries, the extraordinary species are the dancing or jumping semislug...