UPN, Alm.del - 2005-06

Danish supported programme on Good Governance and PublicAdministration ReformsThe co-operation between Bhutan and Denmark in the field of Good Governance andPublic Administration is not new. In December 1997 an agreement was signed on a five-yearGood Governance/Public Administrative Reform Programme 1997-2002 with a budget ofDKK 42 million. In July 2003 a second phase of the Good Governance and PublicAdministrative reform programme started with a total budget of DKK 44,5 millions. Inparallel with this programme Danida has supported good governance in Bhutan through thelocal grant authority with a total amount of approx. DKK 25 million. This has includedsupport within the areas of HRD, institutional strengthening, IT equipment andconstruction and the main beneficiary institutions have included Office of Legal Affairs,Phuentsholing, Samtse, Sampruk Jongkhar and Gelephu Courts, National AssemblySecretariat, High Court and Law Enforcement Agency. Support has also comprised themedia sector and the Bhutan Broadcasting Service, BBS.The second phase of the Good Governance programme primarily targets central levelcapacity building and institutional strengthening with the aim of supporting thedecentralisation process and the task and responsibilities described in the 9thfive year planand the approved Chathrims (acts) for the District and Geog Development Committees(DYTs and GYTs). The Good Governance programme is structured in 4 components/9sub-components in accordance with key governance structures (i.e. executive, legislative,and judiciary) and selected co-operation partners. The components and their sub-components are listed below.After the review of the programme in 2004 it was agreed with the Government to utilise theunallocated funds under the programme to support to the National Assembly. This sub-component – under component two - seeks to assist the National Assembly and itsSecretariat in developing the required capacities to meet future challenges brought about bythe Constitution, including systems and organisational and individual capacities required toensure efficiency and effectiveness in the National Assembly’s performance of its legislative,oversight and representational functions.As part of the continued support to the constitutional process and the National Assembly aproject of DKK 9,4 million was approved in 2005. This Project makes resources available toimplement additional activities for the upgrading of the National Assembly Hall of Bhutan,closing performance gaps through training and education, and developing adequate systemsand procedures to support the National Assembly and its Committees in its work. It isdesigned to pursue synergies with the above mentioned sub-component: ‘Strengthening theNational Assembly and its Secretariat’, under Component 2 of the Programme.To get exposure and an ‘outside’ view on systems improvement initiatives the new projectwill facilitate parliamentary twinning with the Danish Folketinget, both between politiciansand the secretariats as well as interactions and exchange of lessons learned with otherparliaments and parliamentary bodies and facilitate exposure partly through the provision ofTechnical Assistance. The twinning with Folketinget is suggested to start in February orMarch with a visit by the National Assembly Secretariat to Folketinget. This first visit is i.a.seen as a planning visit where the longer term twinning between the two parliaments can be

scheduled, which is expected to involve politicians e.g. members of different committeesand administrative staff including support staff to the committees.Component one:Support to the Decentralisation Process and Civil Service StrengtheningThe objective of Component one is: Decentralisation and Civil Service in Bhutanstrengthened to facilitate the new tasks and responsibilities in accordance with the 9thplanand the newly approved Chathrims for DYTs and GYTs.Three sub-components have been identified under this heading:1.Support to the Decentralisation through Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs2.Support to the Royal Institute of Management3.Support to the Royal Civil Service CommissionComponent two:Support to Legislation and JudiciaryThe objective of Component two is: Enabling legislation and rule of law to be strengthenedand sustained at all levels.Three sub-components have been identified under this heading4.Support to the Office of Legal affairs5.Support to the Ministry of Communication6.Support to the National Assembly and its SecretariatComponent three:Support to MediaThe objective of this component is: BBS' potential as an important player in goodgovernance and in the democratic, social and cultural development of the countrystrengthened through increasing the number of audiences and decentralising the programmeproduction and through reinforced professionalism and capacity to produce interactivemedia programme.One sub-component is included in this component:7.Support to Bhutan Broadcasting ServiceComponent four:Support to Core Fiscal InstitutionsThe objective of this component is: Two core fiscal institutions strengthened andconsolidated as a prerequisite for fiscal decentralisation.The two sub-components in this component are:8.Support to the Department of Revenue and Customs9.Support to the Royal Audit AuthorityThe duration of the Programme is March 2003 to February 2008. The project on additionalsupport to the National Assembly and its Secretariat started on 1 January 2006 and will befinalised coinciding with the Programme in 2008.