Bhutan: Gelephu domestic airport received its first scheduled flight, yesterday.

More than three years after it was inaugurated, Gelephu domestic airport received its first scheduled flight, yesterday.

The national airline, Drukair, flew seven revenue paying local passengers and four government guests, including the information and communications secretary to Gelephu from Paro. From Gelephu, the airline picked up the information and communications minister and other government officials on its return flight to Paro via Bumthang.

The airline will conduct two flights a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays to Gelephu.

The promotional fare for Bhutanese is currently Nu 6,000 for a return ticket to Gelephu, and Nu 3,500 for a one way ticket. The flight time between Paro and Gelephu is 45 minutes.

Foreigners will be charged USD 250 for a return trip and USD 140 one way.

Drukair CEO, Tandin Wangchuk said that commercially the flights will not be financially sustainable and that the airline is simply following the government’s directive. “We’re respecting a government directive and we’re operating,” he said.

The government instructed Drukair to begin flying scheduled operations to Gelephu in April and in November.

He pointed out that Drukair would operate to Gelephu even if there is only one passenger flying one way. But when there are no passengers, the airline will not operate.

The CEO said that the government could make the business more sustainable for Drukair if it were to provide aviation fuel facilities at Gelephu domestic airport. Up to 30 percent of the cost of a flight is spent on fuel.

Department of Air Transport (DAT) director, Karma Wangchuk said that it may not be commercially viable for the Bhutan Oil Distributor to have in place aviation fuel facilities at Gelephu given the potentially low number of flights to the airport. However, he said that the DAT will ask the fuel company.

Tandin Wangchuk also said that the government should consider expanding Gelephu airport so that both airlines can use it to temporarily halt there when there is bad weather at Paro international airport. He said this would be a cheaper alternative than having to halt at Kolkata or Bagdorgra.

Karma Wangchuk said that there are plans to eventually expand the airport but that significant costs would be involved. He said any expansion would depend on the government and fund availability.

Tandin Wangchuk did not rule out Drukair approaching the government later on if it is found that the route remains unsustainable.

The erstwhile Department of Civil Aviation constructed the airport at a cost of Nu 225.3 million. A further Nu 9 million was spent to build a new terminal at the airport when the runway had to be shifted and it was found that the first terminal was located too far away.

Source: Kuenselonline

Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay yesterday refused to receive the revised salary

Surprising parliamentarians and the people, Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay yesterday refused to receive the revised salary, and announced that he would donate the additional Nu 50,000 from his revised monthly salary to charity.

While presenting the State of the Nation report to Parliament, lyonchhoen said many people have criticised the salary for members of parliament and cabinet ministers.

“I’ll not defend the increase or argue whether it’s too high or not,” lyonchhoen said. “However, on the prime minister’s (PM) salary, I also agree that it’s too high.”

“Our country can’t afford it and my conscience will not be able to accept it,” lyonchhoen said.

Lyonchhoen stated that he would be accepting the salary equivalent to that received by the cabinet ministers, and the additional monthly amount of Nu 50,000 would be donated to charity organisations at the end of his five-year term.

“There’s no motive, I’m just driven by the understanding that the PM’s salary was too high,” lyonchhoen told Kuensel.

Lyonchhoen said that, on one hand, the government was trying austerity and, on the other, the PM can’t be accepting such a big salary.

“Several members, both in the opposition and the ruling party, said that I have to take it, but I said I couldn’t accept this and, if the PM must get more, than give him Nu 1 more, just as a token, which wasn’t accepted as well,” lyonchhoen said.

He added that the first Parliament, in its sixth session, approved the pay scale and the present government, the day it took office, should have legally started accepting the higher salary, because it was already passed by the parliament.

“But we didn’t, because we felt responsible to drive the austerity measures, and we didn’t want to take the high package,” lyonchhoen said.

He said that the salary reduction was discussed earlier and submitted to Parliament.  However, the proposal had been already endorsed and approved by the first parliament.

“That is law. We can’t just change it and that’s why, we didn’t accept it and we didn’t change it,” he said. “We submitted it back to Parliament and I requested to revise the PM’s salary downward, but none of this was accepted.”

Lyonchhoen had however not identified the charities that he will donate his approximately Nu 2.7M at the end of his term.

Economics affairs minister Norbu Wangchuk said that the PM’s decision has been made in good faith, and it set the tone for others to follow.

“It’s a noble gesture and will set a role model for leaders,” he said.

Minister for information and communications, DN Dhungyel, said the PM was recommended a higher salary, but it was the wisdom of the PM to not accept the recommended pay scale.

Personally, the minister said he did not support this decision, because the cabinet ministers and the PM had two very different types of responsibilities.

Finance minister Namgay Dorji said that the pay scale for PM and the ministers was a resolution of the National Assembly, which could not be over-written.

“However the PM’s intentions are clear and we respect his decision,” lyonpo Namgay Dorji said.

While some cabinet ministers applauded the move, Bhutan Kuen-Nyam Party tweeted, “An intentional raise of 131 percent disagreeing to the pay commission report and now a donation gimmick…wake up Bhutan and realise.”

It also tweeted that the pay commission’s report on pay raise for PM and cabinet ministers was lower than the government’s pay revision report.

Bhutan Kuen-Nyam Party president Sonam Tobgay said, “There are large variations between the pay commission’s report vis-à-vis the government’s pay revision report.”

Meanwhile, Druk Nyamrup tshogpa’s interim president, (Dr) Tandin Dorji, said he appreciated the PM’s gesture.

Source: Kuenselonline

Welcome to the "Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan": Wangdue Phodrang Dzong

Welcome to the "Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan": Wangdue Phodrang Dzong

About Bhutan

Bhutan Map

Population (2004)
Population: 752,700 : Male: 380,090 : Female: 372,610

Age Composition (%)
0-14: 42.1
15-49: 44.0
50-59: 6.8
60+: 7.2
Urban Population(%): 21.0
Rural population(%): 79.0
Population Density (person/sq.km): 19.6
Median Age(years): 19.4
Index of Aging: 10.1

Land
Area (sq.km): 38,394
Dzongkhags (districts): 20
Geogs(Blocks): 201

Time Zone:
Bhutan has only one time zone, Bhutan Standard Time (BST). It is six hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), 30 minutes ahead of India.

National Bird: Raven (Corvus Corax Tibetanus)
The tutelary god Mahakala took the form of a raven to guide the country’s unifier, Zhabdrung to Bhutan. Raven (local name Jarog) lent its name and features to the crown of the king of Bhutan.

National Tree:Cypress (Cupressess Corneyana)

Cypress has distinctive characteristic of slightly conical with a broad base and tapering top. When old, it is a tall impressive tree. It has green leaves all the year round. Compared to other trees, its leaves do not resemble needles. Its leaves are narrow, thick and leathery. Drooping leaves make tree look graceful. Trunk erect and ridge with grayish brown bark which flake of in short, thin strips. Life span of centuries. It grows naturally in Bhutan between 2500 – 3000 m but it is also planted at lower altitudes. It grows well on steep limestone areas and is occasionally found in our forests ( Pho Chhu valley north east of Punakha and on the west slopes of Pelela ) Plantations of Cyprus can also be seen between Dochula and wendeygang and at Taba.

National Emblem:

The national emblem, contained in a circle, is composed of a double diamond thunderbolt placed above a lotus, surmounted by a jewel and framed by two dragons. The double diamond thunderbolt represents the harmony between secular and religious power; which results from the Buddhist religion on its Vajrayana form. The Lotus symbolizes purity; the jewel sovereign power; and the two dragons, male and female, stand for the name of the country-the thunder.

National Dress:

Bhutanese men wear gho, which are longish robes tied around the waist by a cloth belt, know as kira. The womens ankle-length dress is known as kira, which is made of bright colored fine woven textile with traditional patterns.

National Currency: Bhutan’s currency is Ngultrum (Nu) equivalent to Indian Rupee.

National Animal: Takin (Budorcas Taxicolor)
Locally called Don Gyem Tsey is chosen as national animal because of its uniqueness and its strong association with the country’s religious history and mythology. It is a clumsy heavy animal similar to gnu and musk ox, it lives in flocks in places 4000m high and eats bamboo. Weighs as much as 250 kgs.

National Flower: Blue Poppy (Meconopsis Grandsis)
Locally called Euitpel metog hoem, is a delicate blue or purple tinged bloom with a white filament. It grows at high altitude.

National Language: Dzongkha

National Game: Archery The national sport of Bhutan is Archery. Other traditional sports include digor - a kind of shotput, darts and wrestling. In Bhutan a game of archery has always been a serious business. Traditionaly if two villages or districts were to compete in a game of archery, elaborate preparations preceded the actual duel. Astrologers consulted the stars and their books of wisdom to divine the most auspicious day to play the game, including even the most favorable sequence of shooting for their players.

National Flag :

National Flag of Kingdom of Bhutan

The National Flag of Kingdom of Bhutan is divided diagonally into equal yellow and orange halves. The division starts from the lower corner of the flag where it is hoisted and runs along the diagonally opposite corner. The yellow portion lies on the upper part of the diagonal division and it represents the yellow scarf worn by His Majesty, which in turn represents the being of His Majesty, the King. The orange portion lies on the lower part of the flag and it represents the orange scarf worn by the Je Khenpo, the religious head of the country.The National Flag has a white Dragon which spreads equally along the diagonal division towards the upper end. The dragon holds norbu(jewel) by its claws.