1) ICT has played an important role in Bhutan's development, starting from basic telephone and radio services in the 1960s-1970s and expanding to internet, mobile, and digital technologies more recently. 2) The document discusses how ICT can support Bhutan's development philosophy of Gross National Happiness through its four pillars: equitable socio-economic development, conservation of the natural environment, preservation of cultural values, and establishment of good governance. 3) Specifically, ICT is argued to promote socio-economic development through tools like e-commerce, empower youth and women, and create new jobs. It can also support environmental conservation through eco-friendly technologies, digital services, research, and monitoring. ICT assists

1. ROLE OF ICT IN
GROSS NATIONAL
HAPPINESS
FOUR PILLARS
Group 2
Tashi Wangmo
Tshering Wangmo
Sangay Choda
Jigme Wangchuk
Objectives: To learn and familiarize on role of ICT tools applied in
development approach, GNH

2. ICT Trends in Bhutan
• Prior to ICT, Bhutan remained almost dormant in socio-economic development
• Telephone services started in 1963
• Radio introduced in 11th Nov, 1973 by NYAB (in 1986, renamed BBS)
• National Telecom network for all 20 Dzongkhags were completed in 1998
• Information Technology incorporated in Education sector since 1992
• Internet services and television launched in June 1999
• Mobile communication services launched in 2003
• Other radio station in Bhutan
• Kuzu FM (2006)
• Radio valley (2007)
• Centennial Wave (2008)
• Radio valley (2010)
• Now ICT has become indispensable daily parts and parcel of the people in country

3. BHUTAN’S DEVELOPMENT PHILOSOPHY
Gross National Happiness as the middle path for development
4 Pillars
of
GNH
Promotion of
equitable and
sustainable
socio-economic
development
Conservation
of the
Natural
Environment
Preservation
and
promotion of
cultural
values
Establishment
of good
governance
3

4. PROMOTION OF EQUITABLE AND SUSTAINABLE
SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
• Powerful tools for social and economic development.
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Globalization and participation into international trade.
• Progress in ICT has caused many structural changes such as reorganizing of
economics, globalization, and trade extension and enhancing information
availability.

5. PROMOTION OF EQUITABLE AND SUSTAINABLE
SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
• ICT has impact on policies in development.
empowering youth and women
generating new employment opportunities
• Information based society- connected through internet.
Social networking (Facebook, twitter, … )
Online news paper. (kuenselonline, the Bhutanese…)
• internet is changing the way companies do business, transforming public
service delivery and innovations.

6. CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES
• ECO-FRIENDLY TECHNOLOGY
 Energy saving gadgets. (five energy star television/ fridge, laptops…..)
E-services (e-Load, e-billing, e-banking, e-filling…….. )
Electric Engines/ machines (electric car, electric rice mill…..)
• DIGITAL AGE. “ save paper, saves trees, save environment”
 digital copy.
 e-book, e-library…
E-mail, SMS
• Disaster Management
Early warning system, glacier monitoring system, disaster prediction…
Satellite mapping for zones of glacier meltdown, flash flood, earthquake.

7. CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES-
CONT.
• IN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (R&D)
improving efficiency of technology
Innovation of new environmental friendly technology.
• WASTE MANAGEMENT
recycling tools, waste segregation, processing waste for dumping.
• INFORMATION SHARING
Dissemination of environment saving ideas,
Creating awareness, announcement,
• MONITORING ENVIRONMENT
Carbon Emission test, GHG emission test…
Pollution test

8. ICT FOR GOOD
GOVERNANCE IN
DEVELOPING COUNTRY.

9. ICT TOOLS
Good governance can be promoted through ICT by use of :
• e-governance : as a tool for bringing openness and effectiveness to local
administration and citizens are participants.
• Electronic governance: provides better delivery of government services to
citizens, improved interactions with business and industry, citizen
empowerment through access to information.
• Citizen are recipients.
• Example; G2C, G2G, C2G, G2G.

10. ICT CAN ASSIST GOOD GOVERNANCE IN THE
FOLLOWING WAYS.
• ICT improve the efficiency, transparency and accountability of government
and information sharing between different sectors of government.
• It improve the delivery of public information to citizens, such as laws.-right to
information.
• ICT can improve the provision of information to citizens in support of
government services such as health, education and transport
• lastly improves citizen participation in decision-making by providing the
information required to make decisions.

11. ICT FOR PROMOTION AND PRESERVATION OF
CULTURE
• Preserves and promote tangible and intangible cultural heritage.
• Document and digitize artifacts, handicrafts, sports, textile and enhance export
opportunities.
• Archive traditional folklore, traditional song's, lozay, Tshangmo, Zhey and
mask dances
• Documentation of history, ethnic language, architecture, democratization and
art.
• Build dzongkha in ICT operating system (computer and mobile)
• ICT can access culture, culture promotes tourism and income generation

12. CONCLUSION.
• ICT has significant potential to advance Bhutan's progress towards the goal of
GNH.
• In economic growth, ICT has become indispensable for enhancement of
socio-economic development in varying geographical location
• In cultural heritage, ICT tools can be used to archive and disseminate the
artifacts of Bhutan's unique culture.
• Environmentally, ICT can reduce environmental impact through environment
friendly technologies.
• In good governance, ICT can enhance efficiency, accountability and
transparency, and allow greater citizen participation in decision-making.

14. References
• Heeks, R. (2012). Emerging Market, Information Technology and Gross
National Happiness: Connecting Digital Technology and Happiness. University
of Machaster: UK
• Lees, E. (n.d). Intangible Cultural heritage in Modernizing Bhutan: The question
of Remaining viable and dynamic. University of NSW: Australia
• Ministry of Information and Communication (2014). Bhutan e-governance
Master Plan. Royal Government of Bhutan: Thimphu
• MOIC (n.d). A concept whose time has arrive: Vision for Information Society.
Bhutan in the 21st century. Royal Government of Bhutan
• Murugan, S. (n.d). Gross National Happiness through ICTs for Development: A
Case Study of the Jakar Community Multimedia Center