DHARAMSHALA, August 10: Following Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangay’s letter of progress that he issued on the eve of completing his first year in office, ministers of the Central Tibetan Administration have also released statements outlining “initiatives and developments” in their first year in office.

Kalon Gyari Dolma of the Department of Home, which is responsible for all the rehabilitation schemes for Tibetans in exile, noted that sustaining the progress the CTA has made in the last 50 years and continuing the development of Tibetan settlements are the “main concerns of the home department.”

The minister said her office has “initiated many programmes for the re-vitalisation and stability of the Tibetan settlements” without providing any details.

“I can’t say we have made so much progress in that field in one year,” Dolma said, “but we have devised many strategies and the settlement offices as well as the central administration must work together to achieve the desired results.”

The minster stressed on the challenges of economic disparities within the Tibetan communities in the Indian subcontinent and expressed hope that there will be concrete positive changes in the next five years.

She also invited people having genuine grievances to directly contact the department without any hesitations.

Kalon Pema Chhinjor of the Department of Religion and Culture said that his office has formulated a five-year plan in accordance with the three guiding principles of Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangay - unity, innovation and self-reliance.

He noted that some of the implemented proposals that were discussed during this year’s annual conference of religious heads, include the conferment of Geshema degrees to Tibetan nuns, after passing their final examination at the completion of 21 years of studies.

Chhinjor also noted that a scholarly committee has been set up to discuss on “how to revive the Gelongma title and whether it is possible to revive it at all.”

He reported that his office organised a long life offering to His Eminence Kyabje Tsetrul Rinpoche, head of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism, and has plans to organise tenshug offerings to all the heads of the four schools of Tibetan Buddhism and Bon faith.

The senior most minister of the 14th Kashag said that his office was “making special efforts to keep daily contacts” with Tibetan Buddhist centres in Europe, Asia and North America, which he said number around 1,700.

Kalon Tsering Dhondup of the Department of Finance, in his letter, stated that apart from fulfilling his “most important” duty of formulating and seeking approval for the CTA’s annual budget, his office has laid down plans to support the socio-economic growth of the Tibetan people.

The minister, serving his second term in office, said that his department plans to set up a fund to encourage budding professionals by providing them educational loans to pursue professional studies.

He added that his department also encourages entrepreneurship by supporting young entrepreneurs to start new enterprises and businesses.

Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangay, who is shouldering the dual responsibility of the Department of Education, noted that the department has been carrying out a comprehensive review of the present system from the primary school to the senior secondary level.

Dr Sangay said that progress in academics can only be achieved when the administration, school, teacher, students, and parents work together in creating a conducive atmosphere for educational development.

He raised concerns over the standard of written and spoken Tibetan at the primary and middle schools, which he said, “is not up to the mark.”

The Harvard law graduate said that his office is “making all possible efforts to produce as many quality teachers as possible” while citing the successful reception of the teacher training centre for Tibetan schools in Bhuntar, Himachal Pradesh.

Dr Sangay noted there was still progress to be made in over all educational facilities including scholarships.