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1 TRANSLATION OF THE PROCEEDINGS AND ... - APFA News

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The Chimis of Trashigang and Mongar said that His Holiness the Je Khenpo<br />

visited and blessed the Kurichu Hydro Power Project last year, which is being<br />

constructed with the generous assistance of the Government of India under the<br />

enlightened leadership of His Majesty the King. The Hon’ble Minister of Trade<br />

and Industry and the Indian ambassdor in Bhutan inaugurated the<br />

commissioning of the first turbine this year.<br />

Through the Kurichu Hydro Power Project, all the places in eastern Dzongkhags<br />

will be electrified. The income and the general living standard of the people will<br />

be improved as manufacturing industries are established and other power<br />

dependent trade and commerce flourish in the area. The Chimis said that the<br />

people of Mongar and Trashigang will never be able to forget the benevolence<br />

of His Majesty the King.<br />

The Hon’ble Minister for Trade and Industry said that His Majesty has time and<br />

again commanded that hydro-power in the country be further developed to<br />

achieve economic development and self-reliance through export of electricity.<br />

The first phase of the Basochu Hydro Power Project will be completed by<br />

October 2001. Besides, preparatory works for the second phase are also almost<br />

complete. Of the Nu.1600 million assistance provided by the Austrian<br />

government for the project, some of them are grants while others are small-<br />

interest loans. While the first turbine will generate about 22 MW of electricity,<br />

the commissioning of the second turbine will generate an additional 40 MW.<br />

Hence, the project will greatly benefit people of Wangdi Phodrang and Punakha<br />

Dzongkhags. Besides Dagana and Tsirang, the project will be able to supply<br />

electricity to other Dzongkhags as well.<br />

If a reliable source of electric power were not available, there is great difficulty<br />

in distributing power in remote areas, and in industrial estates. As such His<br />

Majesty the King has taken the lead in coordinating works for the establishment<br />

248

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