Following mounting concern from public and various government units regarding actuate rupee crisis in the nation, Prime Minister Jigmi Y Thinley addressed the nation Friday. However, he didn’t present the government’s position on stabilizing the rupee crisis.
PM Thinley, who has been accused by the Opposition Leader and other MPs of remaining silent over the issue, asked citizens to bring change in the way people spend.
He told that the people should change their economic habits and consumption patterns to achieve economic self-reliance.
In a televised address to the nation, the PM said, “Our expenditure has been increasing rapidly to an extent, where the government revenue can’t catch up with it.”
He further explained that the hydropower export revenue was Rs 5.8B last year after deducting for loans. Fuel imports alone are Nu 5.1B leaving us with only a net revenue of Nu 7M. It is high time we change our economic habits, according to his statement.
Prime Minister Thinley also mentioned that Bhutan has been importing around Nu 490M worth of meat a year, Nu 160M worth of fish, Nu 286M worth of vegetables and alcohol import is Nu 314M annually.
