Kathmandu, June 22
Experts have suggested
that the 16th plan to be prepared by the National Planning
Commission (NPC) should be a national plan rather than a federal plan.
Speaking at a programme
organised by the NPC to solicit suggestions for the upcoming five-year plan
(Fiscal Year 2024/25 to 2029/30), the experts suggested that the 16th
plan should be formulated considering the importance and presence of provinces
and municipalities.
According to them, if
planning is done with an aim to guide the plans of the provinces and
municipalities, it will become truly a 'national plan'.
To obtain suggestions for
the upcoming plan, the NPC has begun discussions with former vice-chairmen and
members of the planning body, economists, incumbents and former secretaries of
the government and experts in various subjects since Wednesday. The first phase
of discussion will last till Friday.
Dr. Min Bahadur Shrestha,
Vice-Chairman of the NPC, said that the new plan would be prepared on the basis
of suggestions given by the experts. According to him, the plan would be
finalised by the third week of July 2023, and published by mid-February 2024.
The experts suggested that
the role of the commission should be strengthened. They also recommended preparing
separate plans and targets for each year.
They have said that the
five-year plan should be publicised and it should be reached all three levels
of concerned agencies and sub-national governments. They also cited poor coordination
in policy making and its implementation.
Likewise, the experts
suggested that a plan should be made keeping in mind the census of 2021, initiating
policy to increase the private sector investment and increase the production of
various sectors including agriculture.
Suman Dahal, Spokesperson
for the NPC, said discussions would also be organised at the provincial level
as well.
Secretary at the Prime
Minister's Office, Ek Narayan Aryal, Secretary at the Ministry of Labour,
Employment and Social Security, Kewal Prasad Bhandari, Secretary at the
Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Social Security, Suresh Adhikari, former
Attorney General Ramesh Badal, former members of the NPC, Dr. Chandramani
Adhikari, and Dr. Ganesh Gurung participated in the discussion on Thursday.
Similarly, former economic
advisor of the Ministry of Finance, Dr. Surendra Upreti, former secretaries
Purushottam Ojha, Yam Kumari Khatiwada, Kedar Bahadur Adhikari, Purna Chandra
Bhattarai, Gopi Nath Mainali, economist Dr. Bishwas Gauchan, President of the
Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Chandra Prasad
Dhakal, and President of National Cooperative Federation, Minraj Kandel were also
present at the event.
Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 23 June 2023.
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