BBSCL

The National Health Survey 2023 reveals that areca nut consumption among Bhutanese aged 15 to 69 rose to nearly 60 per cent last year, marking a three per cent increase since 2019. The health ministry attributes the rise to the product being cheap, easily available and culturally accepted in the country. To address this, the ministry plans to introduce measures...

The Royal Audit Authority has referred four fraud and corruption cases concerning the Thimphu Thromde in the 2023-2024 financial year to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). These cases included unauthorised granting of e-PEMS access to accountants, as well as discrepancies in non-revenue receipts. Additionally, potential misappropriation of funds and deposit of government funds into personal savings accounts, among other issues were...

Efforts are underway to bring transformation in the civil service. The Royal Civil Service Commission’s Executive Forum which concluded today focused on how leadership can serve as a catalyst for transformation. The forum emphasized on self-reflection, re-examining current practices, and setting a vision for the future. Nearly 100 senior executives from ministries, agencies, and districts attended the forum in the...

Delays in fully commissioning the Punatsangchhu-II hydropower project are expected to affect economic growth in 2024. The country’s economy is now projected to grow by five per cent this year, over one percentage point lower than earlier estimates. The finance ministry, in its latest macroeconomic situation report, said that the downward revision was mainly due to the PHPA-II commissioning delay...