India-Bhutan cooperation: Berdungma, Trashigang motorable bridge opens
New Delhi: The motorable bridge in Berdungma, Trashigang, connecting Berdungma and Thungkhar Chiwog of Thrimshing Gewog and Chidungkhar Chiwog of Gomdar Gewog, Samdrup Jongkhar, in Bhutan, was opened on Sunday.
Lyonpo Ugyen Dorji, the Bhutanese Minister for Home and Cultural Affairs was the chief guest on the occasion.
The community project has been supported as part of the Government of India’s support for the development of High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDPs), according to the Indian Embassy in Thimphu, the Bhutanese capital.
The project was split into two phases, with Phase 1 costing Nu. 7 million and Phase 2 costing Nu. 13.170 million. Ngultrum is the Bhutanese currency.
By strengthening the Thrimshing Gewog connection, this project will enable the region’s farmers to pursue commercial agriculture through improved market access. Travelers from Trashigang to Samdrup Jongkhar will also benefit from this project, as the farm road on which the bridge was built has been designated as an alternative route (highway) between the two towns.
India had pledged Nu. 45 billion for different development initiatives in Bhutan’s 12th Five-Year Plan. A total of Nu. 8.5 billion was set aside from this pledge to implement 524 HICDPs across the Himalayan country.
These HICDPs, also known as Small Development Projects (SDPs), in the local community, assist various Dzongkhag administrations in the decentralization of their respective regions.
Meanwhile, India and Bhutan also held the third round of development discussions. The minutes of the Third Bhutan-India Development Cooperation Talks were signed by Ruchira Kamboj, Indian Ambassador to Bhutan, and Dasho Kinga Singye, Bhutan’s Foreign Secretary on Tuesday.
The signing of the minutes came after the virtual Third India-Bhutan Development Cooperation Talks in June 2021.
The Indian Embassy in Thimphu said under the 12th Five Year Plan, 77 large and intermediate projects, as well as 524 SDPs/HICDPs, are at various phases of implementation.
(Venkatesh Iyer)
