Ten oral and two written questions were raised to the Cabinet Ministers – four oral and one written question to the Prime Minister, five oral and one written question to the Minister for Works and Human Settlement, and one oral question to the Minister for Information and Communications.

The Prime Minister was questioned on the status of the plan to establish a mini-hydropower project in Lunana Gewog,  measures in place to achieve the gender goal of 50/50 women’s representation in terms of leadership by 2030, the status of the drafting of the 13th Five Year Plan, government’s plans and strategies to resolve the issue and enable our exporters to export oranges to Bangladesh and update on providing financial support and measures and strategies worked out for Selela farm road.

Regarding the plan to establish a mini-hydropower project in Lunana Gewog, the Prime Minister confirmed that there was indeed a plan for construction of  a mini-hydropower project of 500 kilowatts amounting to around Nu.600 million. However,  the support for the project was interrupted, with the donor countries being affected by the global pandemic. The Prime Minister further submitted that through various research, it was found that solar energy is  more cost efficient compared to  hydroelectric power and easier to maintain. Experts have also  reported that a project worth Nu.400 million will be adequate for the households in Lunana Gewog and preparatory works are underway.  On the plans to achieve the goal of 50/50 women’s representation in terms of leadership by 2030, the Prime Minister responded that it is either through policy intervention or through capacity that women's representation can improve. However, the Prime Minister reiterated that the policy intervention to increase women's representation can hamper and hinder women’s capability to move further on their own. He submitted that, despite low  women's representation in both  civil service and schools it is gradually growing. He also reported that Bhutan now has a National Gender Equality Policy 2020 that is  appreciated by the experts.

The Minister for Works and Human Settlement was questioned on the status of the Bhutan-Dantak Road widening Project from Paro Wanakha to Haa, any plan to carry out blacktopping work of the remaining highway road from Burburla to Buyong (approx. 4.5 KM) connecting to the Dzongkhag headquarter, the status of the blacktopping of the Haa-Samtse Secondary National Highway, the status of the establishment of Gasa town for which budget was approved in the 12th FYP and reconstruction of Gasa hot spring which was damaged by flash flood back in 2021, the possibilities of upgrading Drukjeygang town as a Yenlag Thromde,  and the status of the inclusion of farm road connecting Kengkhar under Mongar Dzongkhag to Denchi, Pemagatshel, and the farm road connecting Kerung under Nganglam Dungkhag to Woongborang under Dungmaed Gewog in the 13th FYP.

On the status of the Bhutan-Dantak Road widening Project from Paro Wanakha to Haa, the Minister for Works and Human Settlement reported that widening of  around 99% of the almost 50 km national highway  and Granular sub base (GSB) for about 49 km of the national highway has been completed. He also reported that 10 km of the national highway has been blacktopped and the rest of the highway is expected to be completed by the end of May 2023. The Minister  also informed that the blacktopping work of the remaining highway road from Burburla to Buyong connecting to the Dzongkhag headquarter has been prioritized in the 13th FYP. On the possibility of upgrading Drukjeygang town as a Yenlag Thromde, the Minister  agreed on the need to  upgrade it to Yenlag Thromde considering  the population, amenities and infrastructure available in the area. However, the  Minister submitted that the Ministry will send a group of experts to carry out further studies.

The Prime Minister on behalf of the Minister for Information and Communications answered the question on the Government plans, studies, and status of the establishment of an Airport in the Eastern Dzongkhags. He submitted that a location has neither been identified nor reported. He therefore  invited the members to provide  information on appropriate land in their constituency.