The Member of the Social and Cultural Committee, from the Khatoed-Laya Constituency, presented a report to the House on the status of action taken regarding the motion on incorporating courteous communication and respectful interaction into public service delivery, which was originally presented by the Member from Nyishog-Saephu Constituency during the Third Session.

In the report, the Committee highlighted the major initiative undertaken by the Public Service Delivery Division under the Prime Minister’s Office to professionalise frontline service delivery in line with the 13th Five Year Plan’s vision of citizen-centric governance. A total budget of Nu. 109 million has been allocated under the 13th FYP GoI funding to strengthen the skills, professionalism, and service mindset of frontline officials.

The report outlined the following key actions:

Training of 392 frontline officials across five cohorts, covering Integrated Service Centres, the Public Service Contact Centre (1199), medical reception desks, Community Centres, Dzongkhag service desks, and immigration check posts.

A curriculum focused on empathy-driven communication, conflict management, emotional intelligence, professional etiquette, and digital readiness. Introduction of global service models and citizen journey-mapping tools to enhance service design.

Implementation of follow-up mechanisms, including pre- and post-training assessments, a mandatory 21-day practice challenge, and planned refresher courses to sustain behavioural change.

The report also highlighted several challenges, including difficulties in releasing frontline staff for extended training due to workload pressures, varied levels of digital literacy among participants, limited infrastructure in some areas, and complexities in measuring long-term citizen satisfaction.

The proposed way forward includes expanding training nationwide, institutionalizing service standards through citizen charters and standard operating procedures, strengthening digital readiness, embedding service excellence in performance management systems, and enhancing monitoring through citizen feedback.

Additionally, the Committee presented four key recommendations, including:

1. Introduce Training Modules – Integrate courteous communication and conduct into curricula of institutes and training centers.
2. Conduct Refresher Courses – Provide specialized refresher programs for senior officials and higher-level position holders.
3. Develop Service Delivery Standards – Establish clear Service Delivery standards with turnaround time (TAT).
4. Extend Training Service– Include Police Personnel, Health Workers, Investigators, and related agencies to ensure dignified and empathetic interaction in justice and security services.

The House endorsed the four recommendations presented by the Committee. The House also directed all Agencies and Ministries to be mindful of the Code of Conduct and ensure its effective implementation and to provide better public service delivery.