Expressing concerns over the increasing fuel and maintenance expenses of the gewog utility vehicle, local leaders in Samtse raised the issue in the Dzongkhag Tshogdu yesterday. Several gups claimed that most of the gewog bolero currently is in bad shape and needs frequent maintenance and repair.
This is the gewog utility vehicle of Denchukha, one of the remote gewogs in Samtse. Experiencing frequent breakdowns, the Bolero pickup truck is undergoing major maintenance today.
According to the driver, the utility vehicle has to cover over 16 villages in the gewog and other parts of the district for various gewog-related works. Most of them have very poor farm roads. This, he said, has damaged the gewog vehicle severely.
Concerned over the matter, the Denchukha Gewog administration raised the concern at the Dzongkhag Tshogdu, yesterday.
“Since most of the roads in the gewog are in poor condition, we have to use the gewog bolero for various purposes. We also use the vehicle when government officials come for an important visit. But with the worsening condition of the vehicle, travelling in it is quite risky. We are worried,” said Vaskar Chapagai, Denchukha Gup.
Other gewogs also shared similar concerns.
“Whenever there is a new project in the gewog, everyone asks for the gewog bolero for transportation. Likewise, since we are located in a remote area, we have to use the vehicle for various reasons. The bolero has started giving a lot of problems lately,” said Shyam Kumar Gurung, Norgaygang Gup.
“Lately we had to keep our gewog vehicle idle and could not use it as we did not have enough money to refuel the car. We tried to refuel by using some money from the current budget but it is not enough,” said Phuntsho, Dophuchen Gup.
The Dzongkhag Tshogdu decided to write to the Department of Local Governance and Disaster Management, the Finance Ministry and the Prime Minister’s Office about the possibility of getting a new utility vehicle and revising the vehicles’ fuel and maintenance allowance.
The annual budget to meet the gewog utility vehicle’s fuel and maintenance expenses was revised to Nu 107,000 from Nu 60,000 in 2017. Since then, the allowances have increased by Nu 107 every year. Today, gewogs in Samtse get about Nu 140,000 on average.
Boleros for all 205 gewogs were procured at a cost of over Nu 146 M in 2017.
Passang Dorji, Samtse
Edited by Sonam Pem
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