MTR: Dagana requested the government to provide immediate replacements for officials that were either transferred to other dzongkhags or have gone for further studies, during its midterm review yesterday.

Dagana dzongdag Tenzin Thinley said replacements were needed because the vacant posts were hampering service delivery and burdening other officials.

The dzongkhag has not received replacements for the posts of a dzongrab, and legal and cultural officials. Six gewogs are also running without gewog administration officers. Several gewog extension staff were either transferred to other places or are pursuing further studies.

Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay said not having gewog administration officials in six gewogs is a serious issue, and they would discuss and resolve the issue soon.

Presenting the midterm review, dzongdag Tenzin Thinley requested reducing the production target of mustard from 238 metric tonnes (MT) to 65MT, and millet production from 477MT to 270MT. The dzongkhag produced only 112MT of mustard and 257MT of millet.

The dzongdag attributed the failures to declining interest among farmers to produce mustard and millet. The dzongkhag also requested strengthening the technical capacity of field staff.

Lyonchoen recommended the dzongkhag seek support from the agriculture ministry to meet the first targets set instead of reducing them.

The dzongdag also said with the establishment of a central school in the dzongkhag the up-gradation of other schools is not required. The dzongkhag however has upgraded one extended classroom in Pangserpo to a community primary school.

Lyonchoen asked the education ministry to study the dzongkhag’s proposals about dropping up-gradations of some schools.

The dzongkhag has achieved more than 50 percent of its 11th Plan activities. Except for Nichula gewog, the remaining 13 gewogs are connected to a gewog centre road.

The dzongkhag has achieved 7,390MT of maize production against its target of 5,474MT, achieved 5,256MT of paddy production (target: 5,084MT) and produced 62MT of wheat (target: 42MT).

Dagana has also produced 66MT of tomato (target: 60MT), and 120MT of cabbage (target: 94MT).

Dzongdag Tenzin Thinley said they have produced 1,965MT of milk (target: 1,415MT) and produced 94.4MT of chicken (target: 50.39MT).

The dzongkhag has also achieved production of 3,023kgs of Pipla, 2,500 bundles of cinnamon and also produced 590 bundles of thysolinia.

He said 6,639MT of mandarin, 29MT of onions, 12MT of carrots, 124MT of chillies, 49MT of ginger, 206MT of buckwheat and 115,685 dozens of eggs were also produced.

The dzongdag said 98 percent of households have access to proper sanitation facilities. Dagana has also completed all its gewog centre roads and all are open to traffic.

However, two cases of infant mortality and two cases of under-five mortality occurred in Drujeygang and Karmaling. No maternal mortality cases occurred.

The dzongkhag also carried out citrus rehabilitation of 50 acres in the gewogs of Tshangkha and Dorona, and provided training for the formation of water user associations. Six were formed.

There are around 30,000 people and more than 4,000 households in the 14 gewogs of Dagana.

Lyonchoen congratulated teachers and students of Dagana higher secondary school for impressive results achieved for classes X and XII in 2015. One student has topped Class X while another bagged third position of the Class XII results.

The ministers for home and culture affairs, and labour and employment, representatives of Drujeygang-tseza, among others, attended the review.

Dawa Gyelmo | Dagana