I don’t know the context, or as they say the wisdom, on the decision by Bumthang Dzongkhag Yargye Tshogde to suspend the issue of permits to set up businesses in the district. But some wishful thinking occured on my mind as this news flashed on my timeline. 

A totally another idea.

Of late, I have been thinking why Dzongkhags and Gewogs in Bhutan do not do anything to attract good people and investments into their area so that wealth and jobs are created, more taxes raised and there is some form of balanced growth in the country. Instead, if we go by some recent posts from the districts, there seem to be additional walls built by dzongkhags, gewogs, and parks with the so-called ‘clearances’ for businesses in their areas. 

Elsewhere, even in India, states roll out red carpets to the likes of Tata, Gates or Bezos to build factories in their states. Indian PM Modi, when he was the chief minister of Gujarat, once received USD 200B of foreign direct investments.

Back home, we have often lamented that everything is happening in Thimphu. Everyone in investing in Thimphu. Or that most chhilip tourists visit only Paro and Thimphu. I am sure that if local governments roll up their sleeves in this direction, such capital-centric trends can be reversed. Maybe some could even lobby for tax and other in-kind incentives to attract investments.

Maybe the promotions or reelections of the local government leaders should be tied to taxes paid by their people within their territory.

Excuse this wishful thinking

•