Complete story of Jankari Irrigation channel maintenance in Dekiling Chiwog, Kilkhorthang Gewog, Tsirang.

The public of upper Bockrey were in need of irrigation channel maintenance as most of public depends on wet land. 

Fig.1.1                                                                               fig. 1.2

Figure 1.1 and 1.2 were taken during the site survey of the irrigation channel in the very beginning of project.  At the time of survey we conducted a small meeting involving the beneficiaries and explained what the public have to contribute in terms of laborers and the support they will be getting from the Government (materials and guidance), with the consensus of all the beneficiaries, we have appointed a site supervisor and made an undertaking letter with the public mentioning the terms and conditions to complete the project on time.

Fig 2

Fig. 2 the gewog monitoring committees went to monitor the project and we found   large number of beneficiaries were busy engaged in carrying out the work. They have also collected huge amount of local materials like sand and stones at site.  The public were busy constructing a wall in the place where there are small landslides; they have also done with HDPE Pipe setting up work.  It was good to see that different age group was engaged in work and elder people giving advice to the younger ones. We have also seen some students helping their parents during their summer break in carrying out the work.

Fig 3.

Fig 3. Now the Jankari Irrigation work was completed with a budget of Nu. 0.25 Million in the Fiscal year 2013-2014. The length of the project was of 2 kilometers, benefitting 30 households with an area 45 acres of wet land to the public of upper Bockrey, in Dekiling Chiwog under Kilkhorthang Gewog, Tsirang. 

Fig 4

 With the maintenance of Jankari irrigation channel the public of Bockrey has benefitted a lot, we can see it from the paddy filed pictures given on fig.4. The public of Bockrey village were indeed very happy for the irrigation facilities and they were very thankful for the Government.

MS. Damcho

Kilkhorthang Gewog

Tsirang

   Minutes on Gewog Development Grants for the fiscal year 2014-2015

Date: 30^th September 2014

Time: 9:30 am

Venue: Gewog Meeting Hall, Kikhorthang, Tsirang

Attendees: The public of five Chiwogs under Kilkhorthang.

Agenda: Identification of areas of utilization of the Gewog Development Grant (Nu. 2 million) for the year 2014-2015.

Discussion & Resolution

The Gup welcomed and expressed his appreciation to all the public for their presence. He informed that a total of Nu. 2,000,000/- (Two Million) has been allocated for Kilkhorthang Gewog as GDG 2014-15 and that the five Chiwogs are entitled Nu. 400,000/- (Four Hundred Thousand) each. He then handed over the floor to the Gewog Administrative Officer (GAO) to brief the public on the Gewog Development Grants Guidelines for the year 2014.

The GAO explained the guidelines clearly to the public and opened the floor for discussion. The participants were divided into groups headed by the Tshogpas of the respective Chiwogs.  Each Chiwog presented their plan of activities under the financial support of the development grant.

For those Chiwogs that were not able to finalize their plans on that day were given a time extension. They were informed to conduct meetings in their respective Chiwogs and submit the plans of activities during the GYT meeting scheduled on 13^th October 2014.

Gewog Tshogde

Date: 13^th October, 2014 

Time: 9:30 am

Venue: Gewog Meeting Hall, Kilkhorthang, Tsirang

Attendees:

1.      Tshewang Norbu (Gup), Chairman

2.      Nidup (Menchuna Tshogpa)

3.      Tsheden (Dekiling Tshogpa)

4.      Suk Man Lama (Satshangma Tshogpa)

5.      Khem Raj Rai (Nyzergang Tshogpa)

6.      Sonam Lhamo (Gyedrung)

7.      Damcho (GAO)

8.      Tawzang (Accountant)

9.      L.B. Chhetri (Gewog Agriculture)

The Gup explained the Gewog Development Grants Guidelines, 2014 to the Chiwog Tshogpas and handed over the floor to the Tshogpas to present their respective Chiwog plans to other GYT members present.

Presenter 1: Nyzergang Tshogpa

The Tshogpa conducted a meeting with all the people of his Chiwog and came up with a consensus to use the GDG Budget of Nu. 400,000/- (Four Hundred Thousand) for the construction of new farm road, that would be connecting Dunglagang main road to Rai Gawn, and benefitting over twenty households of Nyzergang Chiwog. Any surplus budget will be utilized for the electrification of Nyzergang ORC (Out-Reach Clinic).

The Tshogpa said that his Chiwog would carry out the work departmentally and utilize the budget efficiently.  

Gup informed all Tshogpas to get all government clearances before they start executing their work. All members present agreed with the Chiwog’s plans and supported him.

Presenter 2: Menchuna Tshogpa

Menchuna Tshogpa informed the floor that the people of his Chiwog came to a consensus that the budget would be used for the maintenance of Batasey and Mithun farm roads.

The Gup and Gewog Administrative Officer however, notified that since the maintenance of Batasey farm road was already done the year before, it would not be appropriate to use the budget on the same activities within the same village. Instead, advised that the public should take full ownership of the infrastructure already developed and take the initiative to do the maintenance.

The other GYT members supported the Gup and Gewog Administrative Officer. After much deliberation, it was decided that the funds would be used for the maintenance of Mithun Farm road (C/O Sonam Zamgmo) till the Batasey Branch Road. It was also made clear that in case of any disputes among the people within the Chiwog regarding the fund management, the amount will be transferred to other Chiwogs.

Presenter 3: Dekiling Tshogpa

The Tshogpa informed that the budget would be used for the construction of Satshangma Lhakhang farm road as a supplementary budget to the SDP budget. Since only 1 km of road was approved under the SDP budget, the work cannot be completed with insufficient budget.

However, the Gewog Administrative Officer reiterated what was mentioned in the GDG Guidelines. As per the Guidelines the budget “may be used to co-fund developmental activities covered by the annual budget” and that nothing has been mentioned regarding SDP, which means that GDG cannot be used for those activities which are covered by SDP.

The Tshogpa was resolute about the Chiwog’s decision and informed that the Chiwog will be responsible if any issue arises in the future. The Tshogpa also informed the floor that it has been discussed in the meeting held at the Chiwog and mentioned in the minutes of the meeting. The members supported the idea and granted the permission to use the money for the construction of Satshangma Lhakhang Farm road.

Presenter 4: Tashiyangong Tshogpa

The Tshogpa informed the floor that if they could secure the SDP budget for the construction of Tashiyangong farm road, they would use the GDG for the construction of Satshangma Lhakhang farm road.

Presenter 5: Satshangma Tshogpa

The Tshogpa informed that the budget will be used for the maintenance of Dungkarcholing via Satshangma to Nyzergang farm road as the road was badly damaged by heavy rainfall with big potholes, which has created a huge problem to the public and the staffs of Salami school.

The GYT members agreed with his proposal.

The Gup requested all the Tshogpas to be dedicated and take initiative in carrying out the proposed activities and to get the necessary support and guidance from the Gewog Administration and the Site Engineer whenever required.

With no further points for deliberation, the meeting was adjourned.

Ms. Damcho

Kilkhorthang Gewog, Tsirang

(In the Pictures are the Audit officials verifying & taking the measurements, Auditing of the infrastructures)

Community Contractors for the Fiscal Year 2013-2014

The Construction of a Public Toilet at Meeting hall was completed on 3^rd March (as per the Community Contract Agreement drawn between the Gewog and the Community Group) by the Neymedsa Group, a Local Community Group.

The Community Contractor namely Mr.Tshewang Dorji Sherpa, Chairman of the Group with other four members in a group negotiated to work for the approved budget of Nu.1,88,000 (One lakh Eighty Eight Thousand) although the estimation amounted to Nu.204000(Two lakhs four thousand) and it is also one such procedure in the community Contracting Protocol under the section-E;-Negotiation of the Contract. It was a planned Activity with the Funding of RGOB (Royal Government of Bhutan).

 The Construction of the Meeting Hall at Rangthangling was also completed on 10^th June by the Mr.Sher Bdr. Group,  a Community Group which negotiated to carry out the construction with the 13% deductions from the estimation of Nu.664470(Six Lakhs four thousand and seventy). It was after competing with another local community contractor whom the present contractor negotiated to work with more percent deductions and it was the main screening criteria set up by the Gewog to award the work when there were two or more community contractors from the same chewog. It was an activity with the funding of GDG (Gewog Development Grant).

The Kitchen Construction at Gewog Lhakhang was also carried out by the Neymedsa Group which was completed on 31^st May, 2014 as per the Community Contract Agreement Drawn with the Gewog which was a negotiated 5 percent less from the estimate amount of Nu.458641 (Four lakhs fifty eight thousand six hundred and forty one).It was also a GDG funding and prioritized activity.

The Toilet Construction for the ORC was also completed by the Sunkosh Group on 28^th March as per the agreement with the negotiated and the approved budget of Nu.1,41,000(one lakh forty one thousand) only. It was also a planned activity of the Gewog with the Funding as RGOB.

The Gewog Administration after being endorsed by all the GT (Gewog Tshogdu) members on 20^th December, 2014 decided to award the works in the chewogs and villages of the Gewog for the Community having the Community’s direct Participation and also to have a direct sense of ownership of the infrastructures and more importantly is to have good quality of the works and more importantly was keeping in note of the limited time period for the works to complete it for the fiscal year 2013-2014.

It was also of the adverse records with the Gewog Administration of the commercial contractors for the Past Fiscal year 2012-2013 of whom some contractors failed to complete the work on given time period despite their undertakings and some not being able to complete its rectifications and some although having completed it lacked a quality.

The audit officials at the time of the auditing done at the Gewog were very much happy seeing the quality and also with the co-operation amongst the community residents for these infrastructures and it was no wonder for others also.

By Lobzang Choda 
Rangthangling Gewog, Tsirang