BBSCL

Farmers of Tashichhoeling Gewog in Samtse, who depend on areca nut farming, are struggling with frequent elephant attacks. These elephants damage homes, threaten lives, and destroy betel nut trees, undoing years of hard work. Frustrated by the losses, the affected farmers are urging authorities to implement stronger measures and provide damage compensation caused by elephants and other wildlife. Elephants have...

Non-performing loans or NPLs with the financial institutions surged to a staggering more than Nu 8bn by October this year. This is a jump of over Nu 1.16bn in just a year. Of the sectors, trade & commerce tops the list while the forestry and logging sector saw a sharp decline. Any loans that are overdue by 91 days or...

The Gelephu Mindfulness City must prioritise financially viable and bankable projects to secure investments. According to its Board Director, Yee Ean Pang, mobilising funds is crucial to realising the vision of Gelephu as a business hub. Speaking at a recent forum in the capital, the board director said that the city would adopt a “four-plus-one” funding model to attract investments....

In Samdrup Jongkhar’s Langchenphu Gewog, areca nut leaf sheaths are being transformed into biodegradable plates and cups. These eco-friendly alternatives are replacing plastic at celebrations. This shift has helped reduce pollution and promote a cleaner and greener community. Without the areca nut plate and cup-manufacturing unit, the areca nut sheaths were discarded openly. Now, they are collected and processed into...