Manohar Lal holds infrastructure talks in Bhutan, briefed on Gelephu Mindfulness City
Power and Housing & Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal met Bhutan's Infrastructure and Transport Minister Chandra Bahadur Gurung on 11 April 2026, the third day of his Bhutan visit, and was briefed on Gross National Happiness and the Gelephu Mindfulness City.
Summary
Union Power and Housing & Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal, on the third day of his visit to Bhutan on 11 April 2026, met Lyonpo Chandra Bahadur Gurung, Bhutan's Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, to discuss cooperation in infrastructure development, urban amenities, connectivity and transport. He attended a presentation on Bhutan's development philosophy of Gross National Happiness (GNH) and the Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) initiative. He also visited Khuruthang Town, Punakha Dzong, Simtokha Dzong — believed to be the oldest fort built by Bhutan's founder in the 17th century — and the Buddha Dordenma Statue in Thimphu.
Key facts
- Visit
- Day 3 of Bhutan visit, 11 April 2026
- Met
- Lyonpo Chandra Bahadur Gurung, Minister for Infrastructure and Transport
- Topics
- Infrastructure, urban amenities, connectivity, transport
- Briefed on
- Gross National Happiness; Gelephu Mindfulness City
- Sites
- Punakha Dzong, Simtokha Dzong (17th century), Buddha Dordenma, Thimphu
Practice MCQs 3 questions
The Gelephu Mindfulness City initiative, presented to Union Minister Manohar Lal in April 2026, belongs to which country?
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Correct answer: B — Bhutan
Manohar Lal was briefed on Bhutan's Gelephu Mindfulness City initiative during his Bhutan visit.
Consider the following statements about Manohar Lal's Bhutan visit on 11 April 2026: 1. He met Bhutan's Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Lyonpo Chandra Bahadur Gurung. 2. He visited Simtokha Dzong, believed to be the oldest fort built by the founder of Bhutan in the 17th century. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
Both statements are correct as per the Ministry of Power.
Bhutan's development philosophy, on which Manohar Lal attended a presentation in April 2026, is known as:
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Correct answer: D — Gross National Happiness
The presentation covered Bhutan's development philosophy of Gross National Happiness (GNH).