UNDP keen to support govt to chart 16th plan

 Kathmandu, Aug. 11

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has expressed its concerns about the preparations of the 16^th periodical plan of Nepal and said that it is ready to support the process if the Government of Nepal deems it necessary.

In a meeting with Vice-President of the National Planning Commission (NPC)  Dr. Min Bahadur Shrestha held at the Singha Durbar on Friday, Resident Representative of the UNDP in Nepal, Ayshanie Medagangoda-Labé, has shown her interest to support in the formulation process of the 16^th plan (Fiscal Year 2024/25 – FY 2029/30).

Dr. Shrestha expressed his hopes for future cooperation as the two organisations enjoyed in the past years.

Stating that the 16^th plan will be different from the previous one, he informed about the modality of the new plan as well as its perspective and strategic goals. Joint Secretary of the Commission Prakash Dahal, Programme Director Dr. Narayan Paudel and other officials were also present in the meeting.

The foundation paper prepared by the commission has identified 12 transformative areas.

There are the areas of structural transformation including strengthening of the macro-economic foundations, increasing production and productivity, creating decent and inclusive employment opportunities, building human capital and quality manpower planning, quality and accessible health system, quality infrastructure and systematic urbanisation, social empowerment, inclusion and social security.

It also includes control of unwanted and informal transactions, allocation efficiency and capital expenditure capacity enhancement, environmental protection, biological diversity and disaster management, sustainable development and promotion of good governance and effective public service delivery.

The meeting also took stock of the preparation of the Sustainable Development Conference to be held in New York in September this year, Nepal's participation as a pathfinder country for Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection, environmental finance mobilisation, food system and other issues of partnership and cooperation between the Commission and UNDP. 

 Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 12 August 2023.