COUNTRY BACKGROUND - Gross National Happiness Commission

A. Objectives for the 7FYPA. Objectives for the 7FYP
Communications Sector
16.27 Since the development of the communications sector can be seen as assisting in the achievement of national
objectives, all the objectives of the communication sector are linked to national objectives.
16.28 The specific objectives for the communication sub-sectors are to:
To Provide an Efficient Communications Network for the Benefit of the Whole PopulationTo Provide an
Efficient Communications Network for the Benefit of the Whole Population
16.29 As explained in the Transport Sector Chapter, Bhutan has a limited network of motor roads. Most
communities are accessible only by suspension bridges, foot trials and mules tracks. The mountainous terrain
makes the construction of motor roads technically difficult and the scattered population makes road construction
costly on a per capita basis. Further, the high maintenance of motor roads is another factor which inhibits the
expansion of the roads network in the 7FYP. An efficient communications network can overcome some of these
constraints and thus major investments will be made in the telecommunication sector to improve communications.
Advanced telecommunication facilities will link the more isolated parts of the country and improve their integration
into the national Government administration.
To Increase Awareness of Social Issues and economic Development and to Promote Participation of All Sections
of the Population in the Development ProcessTo Increase Awareness of Social Issues and economic
Development and to Promote Participation of All Sections of the Population in the Development Process
16.30 All media activities ranging from production of broadcasting programmes to institutional news letters,
serves to inform the general public or specialised readers on particular issues. The primary focus of nationalised
media including Kuensel, the Broadcasting service and Development Support Communication will continue to be
to assist in the development process. These official media will disseminate plans, policies, programmes with
extension materials and also provide feedback to the relevant Departments from the beneficiaries of RGOB
services.
Increase Cost effectiveness and Cost Recovery for Communication ServicesIncrease Cost effectiveness and Cost
Recovery for Communication Services
16.31 In line with national objectives of increasing efficiency and cost recovery, the Ministry of Communications
will identify those areas where privatisation would improve efficiency and financial viability. Postal services is one
area where this will be considered. The private sector will be encouraged to participate in postal services through
the commissioning of retail outlets to act as agencies for postal collection and sale of stamps. The collection of
telephone charges is another activity that will be considered for privatisation. Those agencies that remain in the
public sector will improve their efficiency through adopting more commercial management practices.
B. Strategies for Achieving ObjectivesB. Strategies for Achieving Objectives
16.32 These subsectors shall continue to increase their services to meet the growing demands at a competitive
cost. Institutional strengthening, especially human resource development and introduction of modern technology
will be common strategies for all sub-sectors.
16.33 In the postal sector, increased efficiency will be achieved through improvements in mail transportation, and
introduction of modern postal technology and air mail services. In the official media subsector, Kuensel, the Bhutan
Broadcasting Service and the Development Support Communication Division, professionalization of existing
manpower will be the main strategy. The strategies of the telecommunication sector are to: interconnect the
existing 3 separate network sectors into a unified national telecommunication network; to extend the
telecommunication network to all Dzongkhags; to make provisions for further expansion of the telecommunication
network to gewog and village levels, and to prepare the infrastructure for the development of non-voice services
and broadcast distribution by selecting appropriate technologies.
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