India pledges to invest Rs 2 billion in Bhutan's Gyalsung Infra Project

Thimphu [Bhutan], February 26 : As a longstanding and committed development partner of Bhutan, India has extended grant assistance of Rs 2 Billion for the Gyalsung Infra Project. During a special ceremony to mark India's support for the Gyalsung Infra Project, the Ambassador of India to Bhutan, Sudhakar Dalela, presented the first tranche of grant assistance of Rs 1 Billion to the Project Director of Gyalsung Infra at the Semtokha Dzong, The Bhutan Live reported.
On Saturday, the first tranche of the grant that was presented will be used for the DeSuung for Gyalsung (DFG) programme as a special India-Bhutan Friendship Project. The DFG seeks to engage about 11,000 DeSuups in the Gyalsung infrastructure construction project through a hybrid skilling and on-the-job training program over the next two years.
The Bhutan Live reported that the Gyalsung is an essential national initiative envisioned by His Majesty The King to build a strong foundation for the future of Bhutan. Its main objective is to make the capabilities of Bhutan's youth, enabling them to participate in nation-building and empowering them to realize their potential as competent and productive citizens in service of the Tsawa Sum.
Gyalsung has been designed as a 1-year integrated training program, which includes three months of Basic Military Training followed by eight months of technical skills training in ICT, construction, agriculture, and community security. About 13,000 boys and girls will participate annually in national service training in the five Gyalsung Academies currently being built by Gyalsung Infra, as per the report by Bhutan Live.
The grant assistance of the Indian Rupees 2 Billion is in addition to India's commitment to planning assistance of INR 50 Billion to Bhutan. This support will ensure that regular bilateral development programs of Bhutan are not impacted, the Bhutan Live reported.