BBSCL

Growing perilla was once a common practice for the farmers of Gomder Gewog in Samdrup Jongkhar. However, over the years, interest in perilla cultivation has waned, and it is on the brink of disappearance. Today, only one villager in Bazor village continues to grow the herb. Some 20 years ago, farmers in Bazor village used to grow perilla abundantly. Perilla,...

Producing furniture using locally sourced wood has not only helped the Wood Craft Centre stop rubberwood import but also made furniture more affordable to consumers. The centre, which earlier used rubberwood, has been utilizing domestic timber for furniture production since 2020.  At the centre’s recent furniture exhibition, locally made pieces were found to be 20 per cent cheaper than the...

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...

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...