The National Council (NC) unanimously voted to adopt the social and cultural affairs committee’s recommendations for preservation and promotion of cultural heritage yesterday. All 21 members present during the deliberation voted ‘Yes.’

The house made four broad recommendations. It asked the government to finalise and endorse the Bhutan Culture policy document that should encompass all aspects of cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible.

The Council also recommended the government to review the Cultural Heritage Bill with the necessary stakeholders and make it a comprehensive legal proposal by including popular concerns and suggestions on tangible and intangible cultural heritage. It also stated that the government should strategise and scale up programmes to raise funds for the Cultural Heritage Trust Fund, and recognise and reward institutions and individuals with incentives such as research and project grants, scholarships as well as employment opportunities to promote and preserve Bhutanese values and ethos. The house also recommended the government to look into the possibility of revising wages for artisans, craftsmen and performing artists.