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The mammoth task of providing rural access made easier


Hon’ble Lyonpo & Mr. Manabu signing the handing-taking notes

The Government’s vision of connecting every gewog centers with roads will be made easier and faster with the provision of fleets of machineries through Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests.
The formal signing of handing-taking notes was done on 7 March 2011 at Central Machinery Unit, Bumthang. Mr. Suzuki Manabu, First Secretary, Embassy of Japan, New Delhi graced the ceremony as the chief-guest.
Representing the Royal Government of Bhutan at the handing-taking ceremony of farm machineries and equipment under phase 2 Japanese grand-aid project, His Excellency Lyonpo, (Dr.) Pema Gyamtsho, Minister of Agriculture and Forests said that Japan has contributed a lot in revolutionizing the farming system in Bhutan through continuous provision of different farm machineries and equipment.
Fleet of machinery received under the project
In the 10th Five Year plan, it is one of the Royal Government’s priorities to construct about 3000 km farm roads in the Country. The importance of farm road construction vis-à-vis the poverty reduction aspects has been overtly emphasized and explicitly mentioned in the tenth plan documents of the government. In keeping with the project mandates of constructing 1500 kms of farm road by the Central Machinery Unit in Bumthang within 10th FYP period, it has completed constructing 561 kms as of December 2010 which translates to 68% achievements.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forests under the Phase 2 Japanese Grant Aid Project titled, “Improvement of Machinery and Equipment for construction of Rural Agricultural Road in Kingdom of Bhutan” received machinery and equipments worth upto Japanese Yen 597 million. The range of machineries and equipments includes 20 unit excavators, 5 unit vibration rollers, 5 unit air compressors, 10 unit fuel storage tanks, 3 unit workshop vans, 3 unit Toyota hilux, 1 unit low lorry trailer truck, 1 unit oil tanker, 1 unit forklift, 2 sets workshop equipments and some spare parts.
The distribution plan of such machineries and equipments has been already drawn and that from 20 unit new excavators, 11 units will be distributed among the top seven priority Dzongkhags of Samtse, S/Jongkhar, Sarpang, Chukha, Wangdiphodrang, Lhuentse and Trashiyangtse. The remaining will be spread over to seven second priority Dzongkhags which are Zhemgang, Pemagatshel, Mongar, Dagana, Trongsa and Gasa. “With this, at least one unit of an excavator will now be available in all the 20 Dzongkhags both for new farm roads construction as well as for the maintenance phase” stated the press release of the Central Machinery Unit, Bumthang.
The operation and maintenance of the machineries and equipments spread across the Country will be overseen by Central Machinery Unit, Head Office, Bumthang and its network of Branch Offices in the Country. This will ensure the maximum utilization and proper functionality of the machines and equipment generating lots of benefits to the grassroots.

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