gewogs

Gewogs are the basic administrative units of Bhutan, functioning as village blocks within each dzongkhag (district). A gewog typically comprises several villages and serves as the primary level for local governance, development planning, and service delivery in rural areas.

Governance and structure at the gewog level are headed by a Gup, who is elected by the residents of the gewog. The Gup is supported by a Mangmi, and together they chair the Gewog Tshogde, or Gewog Council. The council is made up of elected representatives from chiwogs, the smaller electoral subdivisions within the gewog. The council coordinates local development activities, budgets, and the implementation of government schemes at the village level.

Gewogs are subdivided into chiwogs, which serve as the smallest electoral precincts and form the basis for local representation. This structure enables communities to participate in decision-making and to route public services and development projects through the gewog administration.

Functions and responsibilities of gewogs include planning and managing local infrastructure (such as roads and water supply), supporting agriculture and rural livelihoods, coordinating basic education and health services, and implementing national development programs at the local level. Gewogs also work with district and national authorities to address local needs and disputes and to ensure that policies reach rural communities.

Relation to higher and lower units: gewogs are grouped into dzongkhags, which provide district-level coordination and oversight. Funding and policy guidance flow from the central government through the dzongkhag administration to individual gewogs, enabling decentralized governance and closer public service delivery in rural Bhutan.