Nine Questions were tabled during today’s Question Hour Session for oral responses. Three questions each were asked to the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Employment (MoICE) and the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport (MoIT), while two questions were directed to the Minister of Home Affairs (MoHA) and one question for the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources (MoENR).

The Minister for MoICE was questioned on the frequent changes made by the government on tourism SDF levy, status and benefits of Bhutan joining the World Trade Organization, and the strategies and initiatives taken to enhance employment opportunities especially for TVET and Nursing graduates in the global market.

In response to the question regarding the SDF levy, Lyonpo Karma Dorji, clarified that the USD 200 SDF remains constant but the authority to review and lower the taxes rests with the Department of Tourism. He also said that the provisional 50% reduction in the SDF levy promotes a vibrant opportunity for the tourism and related sectors. 

For the initiative to enhance employment opportunities, particularly for TVET graduates, the Minister said that the ministry collaborated with institutions and agents to provide employment abroad, invited expat TVET professionals to teach and organized several TVET competitions. In 2019, in collaboration with Singapore, a Nursing course with six years of employment was initiated. To ensure employment within the country, several programs such as Build Bhutan were initiated. 

The Minister for MoIT was requested to clarify on the difference in requirements for  construction of residential house at Simtokha and Changidhaphu, inform on the availability of fund for repair and maintenance of the 18km Samdrup Jongkhar-Dewathang highway, and update on the status regarding the Serpang Thrumzhingla to Yumchey (Jarey Gewog) road.

Lyonpo Dorji Tshering clarified that there were different requirements for construction of residential houses in the two areas, to avoid overcrowding in the town areas. The regulations were revised to allow two-storied houses with an attic and the land requirement stands at 25 decimal with an exception for the land inherited for generations. He further added that the construction rules need to be dynamic and would  keep changing with the changing needs and time. 

Clarifications on the recent notification to the Civil Society Organizations (CSO) to establish an endowment fund of Nu.4.00 million, an increase from Nu.50,000, and question regarding the measures adopted in light of increase in crime rates, particularly battery and use of illegal drugs and trafficking was asked to the Minister for MoHA.

The Minister for Home Affairs, Lyonpo Ugyen Dorji, responded that the rationale behind establishing an endowment fund of Nu.4.00 million was to guarantee the sustained operational longevity of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) while mitigating the current challenges associated with their management functions. It was reported that the minimum threshold amount was decided after consultation with the CSOs and after reviewing their financial statement. 

Concerning the problems faced by the farmers in protecting their crops due to difficulty in accessing power connection in their temporary shed, the Minster for MoENR was requested to update the House on the plans implemented to solve the issue.

Until now, priority was accorded to providing easy and affordable access to permanent structures and temporary and temporary sheds were not considered. However, consultations with the Dzongkhag Agriculture Office and Bhutan Power Corporation are underway to study its feasibility and cost that would be incurred, said Lyonpo Loknath Sharma. 

The Question Hour Session is an important parliamentary proceeding as it upholds the inherent parliamentary rights of the Members to ask questions and elicit information and facts on a particular subject. Every Tuesday and Friday is allocated for Question Hour as per procedure.