BACKGROUND

The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Employment (MoICE) was established on December 30, 2022. This new Ministry was formed as a part of the structural reforms undertaken by the Royal Civil Service Commission (RCSC). The Ministry is the amalgamation of the departments under the three former ministries – Ministry of Labour and Human Resources (MoLHR), Ministry of Information and Communication (MoIC), and Ministry of Economic Affairs (MoEA). The Department of Labour and Department of Employment and Entrepreneurship under former MoLHR have been clubbed with MoICE. Three departments under the MoEA namely, Department of Trade, Department of Industry, and Office of the Consumer Protection (renamed Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority) were also moved under the MoICE.

The erstwhile Tourism Council of Bhutan has been subsumed under the MoICE as the Department of Tourism and will function as the secretariat to the Tourism Commission of Bhutan. The new Department of Media, Creative Industry and Intellectual Property under MoICE is formed by consolidating the Department of Information and Media and Department of Intellectual Property which were under former ministries of MoIC and MoEA respectively. The Media Council of Bhutan and the National Film Commission are merged with Bhutan InfoComm and Media Authority (BICMA), and it shall be administratively under the MoICE, and shall serve as secretariat to the Authority. Similarly, the Bhutan Standards Bureau has been folded under the MoICE and will function as the secretariat to the Bureau.

History of MoLHR

The Ministry of Labour and Human Resources was established on June 13, 2003, vide Cabinet Order no. LZ 02/03/933 upon merging of the erstwhile National Technical Training Authority (NTTA) and the Department of Employment and Labour.

The NTTA was established in May 1999 with the mandate to develop a vocational education and training (VET) system in order to produce skilled and productive workforce for the kingdom.  To achieve its objectives, the NTTA was required to plan, coordinate, regulate, support, and where needed, implement vocational education and training. Prior to the formation of the NTTA, all TVET related activities were administered by the TVET Section under the then Ministry of Health and Education.

The emerging problem of youth unemployment in the late 1990s led to the formation of National Employment Board in March 2000, which evolved into Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) under the then Ministry of Health and Education in August 2001. The DEL was primarily responsible for functions related to employment promotion, labor market information, human resource development for the private and corporate sectors, labor protection, and labor relations.

The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Employment works towards the vision for a nation where all its citizens have the opportunity for a gainful and quality employment characterized by harmonious and productive relationships in the workplace and the broader community. The vision is promoted through its engagement in the formulation and implementation of policies related to employment, human resources development, and labour, which are directed towards improving the working and living standards for all people engaged in the world of work.

The above functions are delivered through five Departments in addition to the Policy and Planning Division, Finance Division, Human Resource Division, and ICT Division. They are: i) Department of Labour, ii) Department of Employment and Entrepreneurship. The activities of the Departments are strategically grouped into four major programmes, which are all geared towards facilitating job seekers’ access to employment opportunities.

In addition to the four departments, the various services of the Ministry is delivered throughout the country through its four regional offices located in Samdrup Jongkhar, Phuentsholing, Gelephu and Trashigang Dzongkhags.