Bhutan Web Directory » Corporations

Druk Air Corporation Ltd.

bd001 — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 07:12:59 +0000

There was the need to open up the skies. And so, the concept of a national airline was born on April 5, 1981. Drukair began operations on February 11, 1983, from Paro, a picturesque valley in western Bhutan, a 65 km drive away from the capital, Thimphu. At the time, Paro had a little airstrip servicing helicopter operations. Drukair began humbly with a 18-seat Dornier 228-200 that made its historic touch down at Paro airport on January 14, 1983, to the chant of inauguration prayers, cymbals, conches and the like, with maroon-clad monks blessing the occasion and the plane. The first link was Kolkata, followed by six destinations in South Asia, including Bangkok. As more and more people took to the skies, not just to connect but also to enjoy perhaps the most breath-taking view of the Himalayan range, including Mt. Everest, Mt. Kanchenjunga and the highest unclimbed mountains in Bhutan itself, another Dornier was added to meet the increasing demand.

Drukair upgraded its planes to the new BAe 146 on November 21, 1988, when the first plane touched down at Paro with the same traditional fanfare. The airline was now going regional with linkages to New Delhi, Kathmandu and Bangkok. All the pilots and maintenance crew were trained at the best institutes abroad while the flight attendants were trained by Thai Airways.

Bhutan Telecom Ltd.

bd001 — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 05:11:07 +0000

Bhutan Telecom Limited (BTL) is the leading provider of telecommunications and Internet services in the Kingdom of Bhutan.
BTL came into existence on 1 July 2000 as a fully state-owned company, with the corporatization of the erstwhile Department of Telecommunications which was established in 1970. The first rudimentary works in building a telecommunication network in the country was taken up in 1963 to aid development works of the First Five Year Plan for modern economic development of the country.

Bhutan Power Corporation

bd001 — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 02:33:09 +0000

Bhutan Power Corporation Limited was launched as a public utility on the 1st of July 2002 with the mandate of distributing electricity throughout the Country and also providing transmission access for generating stations for domestic supply as well as export. One of BPC’s basic mandate was to not only ensure that electricity is available to all our citizens but to also make sure that it is reliable, adequate and above all within the means of all consumers.

Bhutan Postal Corporation Ltd.

bd001 — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 02:22:13 +0000

The Postal Service in Bhutan was first launched on 10th October 1962 with the opening of a post office in Phuentsholing. In the same year, post offices were also opened in Paro and Thimphu. It was called the Department of Posts and Telegraphs and placed under the Ministry of Communications. This was the initial step taken by the Royal Government to provide a uniform means of communication throughout the country.
Bhutan became a member of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), the body of the United Nations concerned with postal affairs, in 1969. Although Bhutan had already established mail exchange with a few other countries, it was the first time that its presence was felt at an international postal gathering. In 1983 Bhutan also became a member of the Asian Pacific Postal Union (APPU).

Bhutan National Bank Ltd.

bd001 — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 17:04:22 +0000

Unit Trust of Bhutan (UTB), an undertaking of the Royal
Government was incorporated on its Memorandum and Articles of Association under the Rules and regulations of Bhutan with an initial capital of Nu.2.5 million, contributed by the Royal Government and the Royal Insurance Corporation of Bhutan (RICB). The Trust functioned as a subsidiary of the RICB.
In January 1992 the Royal Government conferred the Trust independent Financial Institution status.

Bhutan Development Bank Ltd.

bd001 — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 16:49:49 +0000

Bhutan Development Bank Limited (BDBL) was incorporated by the Royal Charter, in January 1988, with assistance of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to function as a development finance institution (DFI).

BDBL is registered as a company under the companies Act (2000).BDBL now Functions as a domestic bank with cheque facilities after obtaining its banking license in March,2010.

BDBL is the only Bank that gives focus to the rural farmers and immediately assumed responsibility for the nation-wide credit Program, which mainly provide seasonal, small and medium term loans to the country’s small farmers.

It had also commenced its Industrial Lending operations providing term finance and working capital for industrial and Agro-based ventures. Mobile Banking is also introduced to the clients in the rural areas, where the field officers visit the farmers for loan disbursement, collection, deposit, withdrawal etc, at fixed period, place and time.

The clients in the rural areas can save their expenses to come to the branch office. The Royal Government of Bhutan (RGoB) owns 93.50% of it’s paid up share capital.

Bhutan Broadcasting Service Corporation Ltd.

bd001 — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 16:23:52 +0000

On the 21st day of the 7th month of the Water Monkey Year corresponding to 1 October 1992, His Majesty the King issued a Royal Edict delinking the Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS) from the Ministry of Communications to give it the flexibility to grow in professionalism and to enable it to be more effective in fulfilling its important responsibility to society.

In keeping with the Royal Edict, from 1 October 1992, BBS was established as an autonomous corporation governed by an editorial board comprising representatives of the government, media professionals, scholars and eminent citizens.

Bank of Bhutan Ltd.

bd001 — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 16:15:15 +0000

Bank of Bhutan Ltd. was incorporated by Royal Charter, 1968 and is now incorporated under the Companies Act of Kingdom of Bhutan 2000 and the Financial Institution Act of Kingdom of Bhutan, 1992.

Bank of Bhutan was established as the public sector commercial bank and until the establishment of the Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan; it rendered the function of the central bank in Bhutan. The Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan is the Central Bank of Bhutan, which was established in 1982 and is responsible for the regulating the financial sector and formulating the monetary policies in Bhutan. Bank of Bhutan started with only 20 account holders and currently has about 150,000 accounts. The bank was established with a paid-up capital of Nu 2.5 million.