Govt unveils policies, programmes

Priority to infrastructure, energy, water supply 

private sector-led industrial development, rapid economic growth-focused

No budget to the projects not included in the project bank

Kathmandu, May 24

The government has accorded high priority to infrastructure, energy and water supply, job creation and good governance.

Presenting the policies and programmes for the upcoming Fiscal Year 2022/23, President Bidya Devi Bhandari at a joint session of the Federal Parliament said on Tuesday that product and enhancement of productivity, access to energy and water, formation of human capital and employment creation and sustainable development with ecological balance are the priorities of the government for next year.

Bringing down the income inequality and the rate of multidimensional poverty, and strengthening federalism are also given top priority in the policy document. Economic policy would be formulated in a way it would bear the risks caused by internal and external reasons.

"Necessary legal provisions would be created to implement the rights provisioned in the Constitution, and all projects other than the national pride, transformative and strategic importance would be transferred to the provinces and local bodies," said President Bhandari. The government also aims at combining the local economy with the national one to create foundations for economic prosperity in the country.

Policies and programmes presented at the parliament is the guidance for the budget of the coming FY 2022/23.

Continuation would be given to the pride projects like Kaligandaki, Koshi and Karnali corridors, while works would be expedited at the Postal Highway and Mid-Hill Highway, and Galchhi-Rasuwagadhi road would be upgraded to two-lane blacktopped road. Likewise, priority would be given to the development and upgradation of the road networks that connect India in the southern border points.

Likewise, in the policies and programmes, the government has included programmes like operation of cargo rail in Biratnagar Dry Port, feasibility study of East-West Electrified Railway, Rasuwagadhi-Kathmandu Railway, and detailed project study of metro-rail in the Kathmandu Valley and development of inland waterways in the Nepali rivers. Similarly, operation of mass transit buses, cable car and ropeways would also be promoted.

 

Investment promotion

The government has also pledged for reforms in policy, law and system to enhance domestic production, construct quality infrastructure for industrialisation, promote investment and create business environment. "A suitable framework for public private partnership would be developed and implemented to support construction of large and strategic infrastructure and industrial development," President Bhandari said.

In the policies and programmes of the next year, commitment is made to enhance private sector’s involvement in industrial infrastructure development. The government will provide facilities like electricity, roads and water in industrial villages, industrial zones and special economic zones while policy would be adopted to promote private sector in the construction, operation and management of infrastructure in these facilities. Special Economic Zone in Bhairahawa will be further expanded.

Likewise, the government has said that priority would be given to the private sector-led industrial development where the former would work to improve business and investment friendly climate, increase investment in infrastructure while the latter will establish productive industries. An integrated programme 'Farm to Industry' would be run to connect the agriculture, forestry and mining sector with the industrial process chain, according to the government.

The policy document also includes export promotion through the reduction in the cost of production of manufacturing and export-oriented industries. The government has also tried to address the private sector demand to provide energy at the rate at which electricity is being exported to India.

 

Result oriented public expenditure

To address the chronic challenge of budget underutilisation, the government has said that it would formulate a special legal instrument to make the public expenditure management result-oriented, increase the mobilisation of development budget and facilitate the implementation of development projects.

"Public Procurement law will be amended to address the problem of conflict in the tender of development projects. Budget will not be allocated to the projects that are not included in the project bank and recommended by the National Planning Commission," said President Bhandari.

She maintained that a plan would be formulated to manage the impact of the country's graduation to the 'developing country' from the Least Developed Country.

The policy and programmes of the government would be oriented to obtain rapid economic growth through the joint efforts of the government and private sector by the mobilisation of financial and monetary instruments, she said.

All kinds of national and public treasuries would be archived. Exploration, processing, production and conservation of minerals, natural gas and petroleum products will be done by geological mapping of Nepal.

Singha Durbar, the Central Secretariat of the government, would be made beautiful, attractive and managed according to the Master Plan. Necessary governmental office building would be constructed in Nawalparasi and Rukum East, the President said.

To prioritise the conservation of the Chure area, big projects would be conducted considering the sensitivity of environment and water resources in Chure.

Federal law related to civil service will be enacted in accordance with the federal structure to motivate the public services and to make the public servants accountable towards their responsibilities.

Nepal's contribution to maintaining world peace will be increased in response to the call of the United Nations.

 “This policies and programmes of Fiscal Year 2022/23 have fully assimilated the aspirations of a prosperous Nepal. The implementation of this programme will increase the production of agriculture, industry and service and result in the overall growth of the economy,” said the President.

She said the government would make easy access of the services like civil protection, social protection, education, health and maintain social justice.

The President said that the successful completion of the local level election has further solidified democracy.

 Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba thanked the President on behalf of the government for presenting the policy document. 

 Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 25 May 2022.