The government is ready to support any youth in the country who are trained and skilled in opening vehicle maintenance and repair workshops, according to Prime Minister (PM) Dasho Tshering Tobgay. He made this statement during the monthly “Meet the Press” program held yesterday (30th August, 2024). The PM’s comments were in response to a question regarding one of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)’s pledges: “to promote the establishment of youth-owned and operated workshops in every gewog, specializing in vehicle and machinery repair and maintenance, as well as stocking essential spare parts within the gewogs.”
The question also touched on the De-suung Skilling Program (DSP), specifically the Electro-Mechanical program, which is designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to pursue careers as Mechanical Technicians or Industrial Mechanics. This program covers various areas, including the repair of automobiles—mainly cars and bikes—and automotive electrical engineering. Similar courses are also offered by the Ministry of Information and Employment (MoICE).
Meanwhile, nearly all urban and developed areas in Bhutan are in desperate need of vehicle repair and maintenance shops. In regions where such businesses exist, they often operate as monopolies, leading to high costs for customers. “We have no other alternatives,” a resident from Trashigang said. “Just to change the wheels, about Nu 1,000 is charged,” he added. The average rate in Thimphu is Nu 500.
In Decheling gewog, Pemagatshel, car owners have to pray every time they embark on a long journey. “I pray that nothing happens to the vehicle as there are no workshops here,” Tshering, a resident, said. If their vehicles break down, they have to tow them to Nganglam. “Most of the time, the workshop in Nganglam cannot fix the vehicle, and the next destination becomes either an Indian town or Phuentsholing.”
On a related note, some people who have been in the trade for decades do not have the required certifications. “I am neither a TTI nor VTI graduate and did not undergo the DSP. However, I know more than others about several types of vehicles and how to fix them. I do not know if the PM included people like me when he said that the government would provide support,” a technician in one of the workshops in Thimphu said.
However, the PM’s response has been welcomed by people in the gewogs. Sonam, from Chasikhar, Mongaar, said he has to take his car all the way to Mongar whenever there is a problem. “I frequently take vegetable products to Thimphu, Paro, and other areas. It becomes very important for me to ensure that my Bolero is in good condition,” he said, adding that most people face similar problems.
Despite the positive news, Sonam had another question. “Do you think that the youth will want to return to their villages or other gewogs to open a vehicle repair shop?”
By Migma Dolma Moktan, Thimphu
