Dharamshala, 26 March 2025: Chaired by Speaker Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, the ninth day of the ninth session of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile commenced with the deliberation and approval of the budgets for the Tibetan Reception Centres in Nepal, Sonauli, and Dharamshala, under the Department of Security (DoS), at 9:30 am.

Following this, the surkyol budget for the Tibetan Reception Centre in Dharamshala, which had been tabled with a motion for reduction, was also approved.

Kalon Gyari Dolma of the Department of Security addressed questions regarding the budgets for the Tibetan Reception Centres under the department. The Kalon provided clarifications on various matters, including workshops and meetings held at the Administrative Training and Welfare Society at the Dharamshala reception centre, the availability of rooms for CTA officials and staff during official tours at the Delhi reception centre, and other related inquiries.

The house continued with deliberation and approval of the Department of Education (DoE) with a motion of reduction of tabled to surkyol budget of the DoE.

Kalon Changra Tharlam Dolma of the Department of Education addressed queries raised in the house regarding the department’s budget. The house discussed various issues, including Tibetan schools outperforming other educational bodies in India in the 2024 class XII CBSE results, the production of educational cartoons by the DoE, the availability of retirement quarters for retired teachers and staff of Tibetan schools, access to diverse children’s books, and the functioning of Sunday Tibetan language schools, among other topics.

Proceeding with the set agenda, the house deliberated and approved budget of the Sambhota Tibetan Schools (STSS) under the DOE with a motion of reduction to its surkyol budget. Education Kalon provided needed clarifications to the questions raised on the budget of the STSS.

The house continued with the deliberation on the budget of the Department of Home (DoH). Sikyong Penpa Tsering, the incumbent Kalon of the Department of Home, clarified all the doubts and queries raised on the budget of the Department of Home and settlements under it.

Many of the parliamentarians took part in the deliberation over the budgets of the Department of Home discussing strengthening Tibetan Co-operative Societies, problems faced by undocumented Tibetans in Nepal, sustaining Tibetan Settlements, and other departmental initiatives.

The deliberation on the budget of the Department of Home remains open for the next session.

The session adjourned at 7 pm.