06/10/2026
๐ฉ๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ๐๐ต๐ผ๐ฝ ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐๐ป๐ฎ๐๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ฐ๐ต๐ต๐ ๐ฅ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ฃ๐น๐ฎ๐ป (๐ฃ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ฃ) ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ญ๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ก๐ก๐ฎ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ฆ (๐๐๐๐๐) ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ญ ๐๐จ๐จ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐๐๐ฌ (๐๐๐๐ฌ)
Under the ACREWAS project, the Department of Water (DoW), Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, Royal Government of Bhutan, in collaboration with PemNor Consulting Firm, conducted a three-day Validation Workshop on the Punatsangchhu River Basin Management Plan (PRBMP) from 28โ30 September 2026 at Thimphu Residency, Thimphu. The workshop brought together representatives from the District Coordination Committees (DCCs) of Gasa Dzongkhag, Punakha Dzongkhag Administration, Dzongkhag Administration of Wangduephodrang, Tsirang Dzongkhag Administration and Dagana Dzongkhag Administration of the Environment, Engineering, Agriculture, Planning and Statistics sectors.
The workshop aimed to:
โข Validate the draft PRBMP and its key findings and proposed interventions;
โข Review and validate the Water Security Index (WSI) System and proposed indicators;
โข Review the proposed governance and coordination arrangements for integrated river basin management;
โข Discuss priority areas, phased implementation, and monitoring and evaluation arrangements; and
โข Incorporate local knowledge, sectoral perspectives and Dzongkhag-level inputs to strengthen the relevance and practicality of the Plan.
The workshop was conducted through a chapter-wise validation of the draft PRBMP by the DCC, where members reviewed the different chapters and provided comments and feedback based on their local context, sectoral knowledge and available information. The discussions covered the general description of the basin, situational analysis, key water security dimensions and indicators, governance arrangements, phased priorities, implementation and monitoring and evaluation framework, and the proposed WSI System. The workshop concluded with a discussion on the key feedback received and the way forward for incorporating the inputs into the final PRBMP and WSI System.
Overall, the three-day engagement strengthened a shared understanding of the basinโs water resources, key water security concerns, governance arrangements and priority interventions, while providing an important platform for local and sectoral perspectives to be reflected in the Plan. The active participation and constructive discussions throughout the workshop provided further momentum towards finalising the PRBMP as a coordinated framework for sustainable, equitable and climate-resilient management of the Punatsangchhu River Basin.
Hashtags:
of Water Dzongkhag Dzongkhag Administration Administration of Wangduephodrang Dzongkhag Administration Dzongkhag Administration
