In a meeting with members of Cottage and Small Industries (CSIs), the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT) party president, Dorji Wangdi, unveiled the party’s vision for economic development, promising to prioritize a comprehensive Five-Year-Plan within the first six months if elected to government. The meeting, held to discuss the challenges faced by entrepreneurs in the country, saw entrepreneurs eagerly seeking measures to support and nurture new venture entrepreneurs.
During the meeting, President Dorji Wangdi expressed the party’s commitment to steer Bhutan towards sustainable economic growth. The ambitious plan of formulating a comprehensive Five-Year-Plan within the initial six months of governance underscores the urgency the party places on addressing the nation’s economic challenges.
While presenting the party’s vision, DPT acknowledged the significance of Cottage and Small Industries in driving economic growth and fostering local entrepreneurship. President Dorji Wangdi emphasized that the party has already incorporated measures to aid CSIs in their election manifesto. However, he acknowledged that further refinement and development of these measures were necessary to create an effective and conducive environment for entrepreneurs.
Entrepreneurs present at the meeting raised pertinent concerns about the challenges they currently face in the country. Access to finance, bureaucratic hurdles, lack of technical know-how, and limited market opportunities emerged as some of the primary obstacles hindering the growth of new ventures in Bhutan.
To address these challenges, DPT’s president pledged to work closely with stakeholders, including entrepreneurs, industry experts, and relevant government agencies, to design comprehensive policies and programs. These initiatives would aim to simplify bureaucratic procedures, facilitate easier access to financing, provide technical assistance and capacity building, and expand market access for local businesses.
Furthermore, DPT stressed the importance of nurturing a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem that fosters innovation and creativity. To achieve this, the party emphasized the need for robust public-private partnerships, enabling entrepreneurs to collaborate with the government and private sector to harness expertise and resources.
President Dorji Wangdi highlighted that DPT’s approach to fostering entrepreneurship goes beyond rhetoric. It entails a well-crafted blueprint that involves ongoing consultations and engagements with stakeholders to ensure that the policies effectively address the needs and challenges faced by entrepreneurs in the country.
As the meeting concluded, entrepreneurs expressed appreciation for the DPT’s proactive stance on economic development. They commended the party’s commitment to prioritizing a Five-Year-Plan and Economic Development Plan, recognizing the potential impact on their businesses and the nation’s overall prosperity.
With the elections approaching, the meeting has left entrepreneurs hopeful about the future of their businesses under a DPT-led government. The party’s vision to support and protract new venture entrepreneurs in Bhutan has ignited optimism within the entrepreneurial community, as they look forward to a more conducive and supportive environment for their ventures to thrive.
As the party continues to refine its manifesto, the expectations of entrepreneurs remain high, and they eagerly await concrete actions that will shape the future of Bhutan’s entrepreneurial landscape.
By Kinley Yonten
