The government is stepping up its focus on measurable results and accountability, with the Annual Performance Agreements (APAs) for the 2026–27 financial year setting clearer targets for ministries, agencies and local governments.
The APAs were signed by the Prime Minister, Finance Minister and Chairperson of the Royal Civil Service Commission with six ministries, agencies, Thimphu Dzongkhag, Thimphu Thromde, 19 local governments and the other two thromdes.
Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay said the agreements reflect the government’s renewed commitment to results-based management, accountability, transparency and more efficient public service delivery.
“ The primary purpose of these agreements is to bring clarity to expected results, strengthen accountability through ongoing monitoring and evaluation and instill a sense of urgency in delivering outcomes,” the Prime Minister said.
He emphasised that while sound planning and the ability to adapt remain important, the ultimate measure of government performance is whether planned interventions produce tangible results for citizens.
“The government’s focus on results ensures that development efforts translate into tangible benefits for citizens,” he said.
A significant change will be the introduction of quarterly reviews, allowing agencies to regularly assess progress against their commitments, identify bottlenecks at an early stage and make timely adjustments.
The approach is intended to ensure that problems are addressed before they become larger obstacles and that agencies remain focused on delivery throughout the financial year rather than assessing performance only at the end of the cycle.
The government is also developing a Prime Minister’s Dashboard to provide an integrated view of activities, progress and challenges across agencies. Once operational, the platform is expected to give decision-makers more timely information to track implementation and respond to emerging issues.
The emphasis on monitoring and measurable performance builds on broader reforms in Bhutan’s public-sector performance management. The Royal Civil Service Commission has previously identified the need for stronger alignment between performance agreements and actual results and has developed digital systems to support performance monitoring.
The 2026–27 APAs also show the scale and diversity of commitments being undertaken by individual ministries.
The Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, for instance, has committed to 38 outcomes measured through 46 key performance indicators across its six technical departments. The indicators are intended to provide a measurable framework for assessing progress in energy and natural resource management.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has also signed its APA, with 27 key performance indicators and a capital budget of about Nu 1.2 billion. The agreement establishes specific performance commitments against which the ministry’s implementation can be monitored during the year.
The Ministry of Education and Skills Development has similarly outlined its priorities, targets and expected outcomes for 2026–27, focusing on access to quality education, skills development and alignment of education initiatives with national development priorities.
The significance of the new APA cycle, however, will ultimately depend not on the number of indicators or the signing ceremony but on how effectively commitments are followed through.
Clear targets provide a basis for accountability, but meaningful accountability requires regular monitoring, reliable data, timely corrective action and consequences when agreed results are not achieved.
For citizens, the most important test will therefore be whether the system produces visible improvements in the services they receive—from the quality and timeliness of public services to the implementation of development programmes and the resolution of problems that directly affect communities.
The government’s move towards quarterly reviews and a central performance dashboard could make it easier to identify delays and gaps in implementation. The Royal Civil Service Commission’s existing Service Evaluation Tool also demonstrates the growing use of citizen feedback and service-performance data to strengthen public service delivery.
The 2026–27 APA cycle consequently places greater emphasis on moving from plans to performance and from commitments to measurable outcomes.
The agreements are formal commitments by government institutions to deliver defined results within the financial year. Their real value will be measured by what happens after the signing—whether targets are pursued with urgency, whether shortcomings are identified and corrected, and whether the resulting improvements are felt by citizens.
As Bhutan continues to strengthen results-oriented governance, the challenge is no longer simply to set ambitious goals. It is to ensure that every commitment has a clear owner, every target is measurable, every delay is visible and every promised result ultimately translates into better outcomes for the people.
Sherab Dorji, Thimphu
