ཕོབ་སྦྱིས་ཁ།

Gewog at a Glance

Phobjikha is a small Gewog extending to an area of 138.20Sqkm with an altitude ranging from 2800 to 4000 Meters above sea level. It is located in east- central part of the country, a little more than 65 kilometers away from Dzongkhag Administration, Wangduephodrang. It shares border with Athang Gewog in the South, Gangtey Gewog in the North and Sephu Gewog in the North – East frontier with an old neglected foot path connecting to Tsendebji Gewog of Trongsa Dzongkhag which is told to be approximately three hours journey on foot.

It comprises of five Chiwogs with 29 villages on aggregate. It has 375 households and a population of about little over 3200 head counts as per the counting from census registration of the Gewog. There could be a slight increase in the demography figure if the counting could be done from the annual census every year but it is not possible since civil registration is deemed confidential. On aggregate, there are 29 villages in the Gewog with 5 villages in Gangphel Chiwog and consist 78 households, 7 villages in Tawa Chiwog with 130 households, 5 villages in Khemdro Chiwog with 99 households, 3 villages in Drangha Chiwog with 36 households and 7 villages in Dogselna Chiwog with 32 households as of now excluding the newly registered Households in all the five Chiwogs.

The Gewog is known by its beauty and immemorial scenery stretching over a vast valley. Spring season is a wonder for visitors from different walks of life. It is an exact time of the year where the true nature of its beauty is being revealed with varied abundant blossoms of flowers and rhododendrons complemented by cool breezes blowing through this heavenly abode. However, it is characterized by cold temperate climatic conditions with strong winds on a daily basis. It usually experiences a very harsh cold windy winters with snowfall and cool warm rainy summers.

Although, some parts of the terrain in the Gewog is rugged but most of the Agricultural land is situated on gentle slopes to vast stretches of gentle areas along its valley. Approximately about 69.9 % of the Gewog is covered by forest mostly consisting of mixed conifers with sandy loam soil found very fertile, high in humus content best suitable for Potato cultivation which is evidently one of the most dominant cash crops cultivated in this part of the country on a very large scale for commercial purposes. It contributes to almost 90% of the peoples’ cash income generation and the same is used for buying all the necessities enough to last for a year. Obviously, it has contributed to enhancing and increasing the livelihood of the people thereby reducing the poverty incidences in the Gewog at an individual level in general.

The Gewog has good road accessibility with over 62kms of farm road being constructed over the last plan periods connecting every village. All the farm roads are open to traffic during winter months with exceptions during a few months in summer when heavy downpours are quite incessant. It has 100% Telecommunication networks both for B-Mobile and Tashi Cell. Electricity coverage is also 100% but frequently confronts power cuts almost 5-6 times everyday due to Electric Cable Poles erected through thick woods via Gogona and due to the underground cables along the plain areas.

The natural beauty of the valley complemented with rich flora and fauna in particular the Black-necked Cranes, makes the place an attractive recreational destination for both Bhutanese and foreign visitors. Moreover, the introduction of Home-Stay program in the villages adds more value for the foreign visitors to experience the living styles, food habits and culture of the people living in these far flung areas. But not much have been gained significantly for the proprietors of a few Home –Stay in the Gewog since most of the Tourists are absorbed by larger Tourist Hotels and Home-Stays in Gangtey Gewog. Yet it does have great potentials for ecotourism given the proper initiatives put in place and the willingness of the people for any changes hereon on the same.

Local Government
Gewog Name:	Phobjikha Gewog
Geographical Location	2800- 4000 meters above sea level
Total Area (sq.kms)	138.20 Sq. kms
་ Total No. of Chiwog	5 Chiwogs
GT Member	Name		Designation	Gender		remarks
	Jamtsho		Gup	Male		17846906
	Sati		Tshogpa	Male		17866889
	Sangay Dorji		Tshogpa	Male		17402144
	Passang Dorji		Tshogpa	Male		17660485
	Tshering Dorji		Tshogpa	Male		17737096
	Gyeltshen		Tshogpa	Male		17846552
	Thinley Dorji		Tshogpa	Male		17328854

Community Centre	1 no ( at Gewog centre, Dazi Jab)
Total Population	Male	Female			Total
	1885	1251			3136
Total No. of Villages	29
No. of Households	375
Empty Households(Gungtong)	5 numbers
Business License Holder	11 nos
Household with BBS and cable TV	89 HHs ( Cable TV = Nil)

Agriculture Sector
RNR extension centers		RNR-EC Office at Gewog centre, Dazi Jab
Farmer’s cooperatives		2 nos(vegetable Group & Local Sheep Preservation)
Irrigation schemes		Number		Kms
		NA		NA
Forest Sector
No. of Community forest		7 numbers of community forests established
Sl.No	Names of CF	Estb. Date	Acreage		Location
1	Dogsel CF	8/05/2009	184.98 AC		Dogselna, Dogselna Chiwog
2	Taphu Wongbab CF	03/30/2012	715.83 AC		Taphu, Tawa Chiwog
3	Drangha Kuenphen CF	18/04/2012	198.15 AC		Drangha, Drangha Chiwog
4	Kilkhorthang Phuensum CF	28/05/2012	168.12 AC		Kilkhorthang, Khemdro Chiwog
5	Gangphel CF	29/05/2013	91.92 AC		Gangphel, Gangphel Chiwog
6	Yuetshen Thuensum CF	08/08/2013	214 AC		Chakji, Tawa Chiwog
7	Samphel Norbuling CF	01/08/2013	216.19 AC		Tangchey, Khemdro Chiwog
TOTAL Acreage			1789.19 AC
Reforestation		FY 2014-15	9.2 AC (LoCAL Project fund)		Gewog centre, Dazi Jab
Total Forest Coverage		69.9 %

Livestock Sector;
Sl.No	Chiwog	Thrabum	Jersey X	Jatsha/ Jatsham	Yangku/ Yangkum	Brownswiss X	Yak	Sheep
1	Gangphel	606	162	61	41	8	80	131
2	Tawa	967	136	28	14	0	0	808
3	Khemdro	698	193	9	11	18	0	291
4	Dogselna	304	17	10	7	0	0	0
5	Drangha	324	80	0	15	4	0	10
	TOTAL	2899	588	108	88	30	80	1240
	SUB-TOTAL	3713					80	1240
	GRAND TOTAL	5033

Education
No. of Schools	HSS		MSS		PS		ECR		NFE		TOTAL
No. of Schools					1 no		2 nos		3 Centres
No. of Students	Boys	Girls	Boys	Girls	Boys	Girls	Boys	Girls	Male	Female	Total
No. of Students					103	66	31	22
No. of Teachers	M	F	M	F	M	F	M	F	M	F	Total
No. of Teachers					4	2	1	3
Teacher student ratio			1:18

Health
Hospital/BHUs/ORCs		Hospital	BHU		ORC		Total
		Nil	Nil		2 nos		2 nos
RWSS Coverage		No. Household With RWSS coverage	Percentage (%)		No. of Household Without RWSS coverage		Percentage (%)
		347 HHs	99 %		28 HHs		1 %
No. of RWSS in the Gewog( five Chiwogs)		60 numbers of Rural Water Supply Schemes
No. of spring source protections		6 water sources(through LoCAL Project funding in the FY 2014-15)
Sl.No	Name of Spring Source	Acreage		Beneficiaries		Location
1	Dembangsa	3.7 AC		34 HHs		Gangphel, Gangphel Chiwog
2	Lhakhang Tag	7.7 AC				Taphu, Tawa Chiwog
3	Drangchu kha	3.8 AC		20 HHs		Tangchey, Khemdro Chiwog
4	Deykor Chapsa	3.9 AC		27 HHs		Khemdro, Khemdro Chiwog
5	Dazi Jab(2 water sources for Gup Office & Kilkhorthang combined)	4.1 AC		15 HHs		Dazi Jab, Khemdro Chiwog
6	Dazi Jab	2.3 AC		2 HHs		Dazi Jab, Khemdro Chwiog

Electricity
Household electrified	No.	%	Household not Electrified	No.	%
Household electrified	375	100 %	Household not Electrified	Nil	Nil

Tele-communication
Village with Mobile network	All villages
Village without mobile network	Nil( in few villages like Gaydeychen(10HHs) and Drang(2 HHs)…without full coverage)

Roads Networks
GC Roads (KMS)	65 Kms
Farm Roads (KMS)	62 Kms

No. of Farm Roads;
Sl	Name	Length	Const. Year	Remarks
	Gangphel Chiwog;
1	Tabading – Gangphel farm road	6 KM		Benefits 75 HHs(overall)
2	Gangphel Zam - Zizi	5.3 KM		Benefits 29 HHs
3	Tsikorpang –Damchoelhakhang farm road	1.2 KM		Benefits 7 HHs (excluding beneficiaries from Gangtey Gewog)
	Tawa Chiwog
1	Tangchey – Tafu farm road	3 KM
2	Tsoribuso – Ramichen FR	5.2 KM		Benefits 12 HHs
3	Pakji Zam – Chakji FR	2.3 KM		Benefits 10 HHs
4	Zhilam – Nimdosa FR	0.89KM
5	Gangyoed ram – Talachen FR	0.88KM		Benefits 17 HHs
6	Tawa – Poelam FR	1.10KM		Benefits 8 HHs
	Khemdro Chiwog;
1	Nenphel – Ramsarba farm road	2 KM		Benefits 33 HHs
2	Dueney Chorten – Nenphel FR	1 KM		Benefits 14 HHs
3	Churibuso – Tangchey FR	0.5 KM		Benefits 23 HHs
4	Churibuso – Tsamshing Kesa FR	2.2 KM		Benefits 7 HHs

	Drangha Chiwog;
1	Gangtey – Drangha FR	7 KM		People of two Chiwogs(Drangha & Dogselna)
2	Tseldagong – Pangsar FR	1.8 KM		Benefits 9 HHs
3	Zamchuchen – Haal FR	1 KM		Benefits 15 HHs
4	Jishing Tsawa – Sangchugang FR	0.56KM		Benefits 3 HHs
	Dogselna Chiwog;
1	Tseldagong – Dogselna FR	2 KM		Benefits 10 HHs
2	Tabading – Zamtogna FR	2.8 Km		People of two Chiwogs(Drangha & Dogselna)
3	Khewang Lhakhang – Gorphu FR	1.2 KM		Benefits 5 HHs
4	Khewang Lhakhang – Dangsar FR	2.2 KM		Benefits 14 HHs
5	Tseldagong – Tselda FR	1.2 KM		Benefits 2 HHs
6	Dangsar – Yukoma FR	1 KM		Benefits 2 HHs

Local Government;
Village Name Population	Village	Male		Female		Total		No. of Households
	Gangphel Chiwog
	Gangphel	110		114		224		34 HHs
	Zizi	80		70		150		22 HHs
	Ziba	31		29		60		7 HHs
	Gaydeychen	13		11		24		3 HHs
	Damchoelhakhang	42		49		91		12 HHs
	TOTAL	276		273		549		78 HHs
	Tawa Chiwog
	Chakji	30		28		58		10 HHs
	Kephel	13		14		27		3 HHs
	Rampokto	21		23		44		5 HHs
	Zhiphu	43		59		102		7 HHs
	Talachen	66		52		118		11 HHs
	Poelam	38		39		77		7 HHs
	Tawa	103		98		201		22 HHs
	Ramichen	41		32		73		7 HHs
	Gangyoed	14		20		34		2 HHs
	Zhilam	89		97		186		15 HHs
	Nimdosa	86		91		177		12 HHs
	Taphu	119		117		236		29 HHs
	TOTAL	663		670		1333		130 HHs
	Khemdro Chiwog
	Nenphel		51		52		103	14
	Tangchey		91		73		164	24
	Khemdro		110		106		216	31
	Kilkhorthang		73		95		168	28
	Dazi Jab		9		13		22	2
	TOTAL		334		339		673	99 HHs
	Dogselna Chiwog
	Gorphu		22		20		42	5
	Khewang		6		7		13	2
	Dangsar		12		21		33	3
	Chumichen		14		12		26	3
	Yukoma		6		5		11	2
	Jangchub Goenpa		8		15		23	3
	Tengkha Gayrey		12		10		22	3
	Dogselna		39		40		79	10
	Tselda Gong		5		6		11	1
	TOTAL		124		136		260	32 HHs
	Drangha Chiwog
	Pangsar		26		30		56	8 HHs
	Haepa		32		49		81	11 HHs
	Drang		50		60		110	11 HHs
	Bachi		3		6		9	2 HHs
	Gomlo		4		2		6	1 HH
	Zhukina		3		5		8	1 HH
	Jachenma		3		5		8	1 HH
	TOTAL		121		325		446	36 HHs

Civil Infrastructure;

Sl	Name		Year of const.		Remarks/Issues
1	Gewog Office		FY 2013-14
2	RNR/		FY 2012-13-14
3	BHU/Hospitals/ORC		NA		Gangphel & Tawa ORCs
4	Forest Range Office		NA
5	Park Office		NA
6	Veterinary Hospital		NA
7	CC Office		2013-14
8	RNR Staff Quarter		2012-13-14
9	Public Meeting Hall		2011-12
10	Kitchen & Toilet		2011-12
Livelihood;
Sl.No		Name of the crop/livestock		Annual Production		Remarks/ Issues
1		Cabbage		28 MT		Annual production 2015
2		Radish		154 MT		-do-
3		Potato		6657.03 MT		-do-
4		Buck Wheat		21 MT		-do-
5		Barley		30 MT		-do-
6		Cheese		18.01 MT		-do-
7		Butter		10.01 MT		-do-
8		Milk		200.11 MT		-do-

Religion & Culture
Lhakhangs	Govt. Owned	Community	Private	Total
Lhakhangs	Nil	7 nos	4 nos	11 nos

Cultural monuments;

Sl.No	Name of Lhakhang	Description
1	Damchoelhakhang	A community owned Lhakhang and it has been built by Lam Phajo Drukgom Zhipo in the 14^th century. Sangay Tempa is the main nangten in the Lhakhang
2	Zizi Lhakhang	It’s a community owned Lhakhang and has been built by Ugyen Thinley Dorji 100 years ago. Chenreyzi is the main nangten in the Lhakhang
3	Gaydeychen Lhakhang (Thukten Drubcholing Lhakhang)	It is owned by the community and is said to have been built by Tsepai Lopen Jadu 19 years ago
4	Taphu Lhakhang	It is known as Thekchok Samten Choling Lhakhang and has been built by Dungtsho Kinley Gyeltshen. Chukchi Zhey is the main nangten in the Lhakhang and it is a community Lhakhang
5	Gangyoed Lhakhang	It is a community Lhakhang although it is not known who has built it. Duesum Sangye is the main nangten in the Lhakhang. It Constructed over 400 yrs ago
6	Kepai Tinglochu Lhakhang	It’s a private Lhakhang and is believed to have been built before 70 years ago. The founder of it is not yet known till now. The Chenreyzi is the main nangten in the Lhakhang
7	Sangay Penjor Lhakhang	It’s a pvt. Lhakhang and it has been built by Lam Lingbab in the 16^th century.
8	Tangchey Lhakhang	It’s a pvt. Lhakhang and it is believed to have been built by Lam Ngagi Wangchuck during the 16^th century
9	Kilkhorthang Lhakhang	It is a community owned Lhakhang and is believed to have been built during 15^th century by Lam Thukten Drakpa. Chukchi Zhey is the main nangten in the Lhakhang
10	Ngelung Drechagling Lhakhang	The new Lhakhang was built recently a few years ago in 2006 by her highness, Royal Queen Grandmother. And in early march 2015, a nunnery was established for the wellbeing of the people of the Gewog by his eminence, Gyeltshen Truelku Rinpoche
11	Khewang Lhakhang	It’s a community owned Lhakhang built in the 14^th century by Truelku Penjor Gyeltshen who was a mind reincarnation of Kuenkhen Longchen Rabjam

Bridges;

Sl No	Name and Type of bridge	Year of construction	Remarks
1	Lekjay Suspended Bridge	2012-13	LoCAL Project funding
2	Pakji RCC T-Girder Bridge	2014-15	Abutment constructed in the FY 2013-14 and its Slab launching is supplemented by LoCAL Project funding( FY 2014-15)
3	Zamtogna RCC Slab Bridge	2014-15	LoCAL Project funding
4	Gangphel RCC T-Girder Bridge	2014-15-16	GOI(SDP) II Phase