The Question Hour for the Ninth Session witnessed 11 Questions today with 8 questions for the Hon’ble Prime Minister and 3 questions for the Minister, Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport (MoIT). 

The Prime Minister was questioned on the increasing rate of youth unemployment and creation of job opportunities, high attrition rate of civil servants, strategies for development of the private sector, facilitation of voting booths and postal ballots for the upcoming elections, strategies for economic recovery, amendment of the Tourism Levy Act, change of civil servants under consolidated contract to regular contracts and on the rationale for requirement of class ten and twelve certificates when one applies for a graduate job. 

The Minister for MoIT was questioned on the establishment of new Thromdes before the end of the term of the current government, establishment of Thromde in Samtse and on plans to conduct feasibility assessment for riverine transit from Lhamodzingkha to West Bengal.   

The Prime Minister responding to the high rate of youth unemployment pointed out that there is a gap between skill and job expectation.  There are currently 8000 unemployed youth in the country. Towards this, the government has been conducting various upskilling, reskilling and skilling programs. Further there are thousands of Desuups who are currently undergoing training and working in various projects and sectors who are working but not considered as employed. The erstwhile Ministry of Labour and Human Resources has also been changed as Ministry of Education and Skills Development.  The Royal University of Bhutan has also revamped the curriculum and courses considering future employability and 21^st century skill requirements. The Prime Minister pointed out that although the percentage may reflect an increase in unemployment, in reality the number of unemployed has reduced in the country.  He also reiterated that the government acknowledging the issue continues to work towards creation of job opportunities. 

The Minister of MoIT on the establishment of Thromdes pointed out that instead of identifying Thromdes, it is imperative to establish challenge free Thromdes and provide basic infrastructure facilities and meet other requirements such as population, health amenities, land feasibility and population. He informed the House that the Ministry continues to work towards provision of such basic infrastructure and the Ministry has also constituted a committee of experts to study the establishment of Thromdes. The Minister informed that Mongar and Samtse Dzongkhag meet the criteria for establishment of Thromde and studies are also being carried out to establish Thromde in Bumthang and Trashigang.