Kathmandu, June 21
The National Planning
Commission (NPC) has started preparations for the 16th plan to be implemented
from the Fiscal Year 2024/25 to 2029/30.
For the upcoming 16th
plan, the NPC organised discussions with its former vice-chairmen, former
members and economists on Wednesday.
Vice-Chairman of the NPC,
Dr. Min Bahadur Shrestha informed that preparations for the 16th plan have started with the national aspiration
of achieving good governance, prosperity, and social justice through structural
transformation.
He also stated that the
work of the 16th Plan should be completed in the face of the
challenges in the economy.
Dr. Yuba Raj Khatiwada, former
Finance Minister who also served as the vice-chairman of the NPC, said that too
ambitious targets for economic growth should not be set for the next planning period.
He said that it would be
enough to set the target of 7 or 7.5 per cent economic growth in the current
situation. He said that if the target of 8 per cent is to be set, then full
emphasis should be placed on exports-oriented industrial growth.
Khatiwada argued that the
definition of pride projects should be changed. The projects that are called
national pride projects are not worth being proud of, he said.
Former Vice-Chairman, Prithvi
Raj Legal also suggested being more realistic while setting the target of
economic growth.
Dr. Dinesh Chandra
Devkota, former VC of the planning body, said that the plan should be
formulated to prevent the misuse of grant money and with high priority to the
application of technology.
Likewise, former VC and
former Governor of the Nepal Rastra Bank, Dipendra Bahadur Chhetri, said that the
upcoming plans and programmes should be production-oriented. According to him,
increasing production and export should be accorded top priority.
Formers VC, Dr. Jagdish
Chandra Pokharel, and former members Dr. Janakraj Shah, and Dr. Govinda Nepal, Dean
of Humanities and Social Sciences at the Tribhuvan University, Dr. Kusum
Shakya, and Head of Department of Economics at TU, Dr. Shiva Raj Adhikari also
offered their suggestions on the upcoming five-year plan.
Suman Dahal, Spokesperson
for the NPC, informed that the discussion will continue till Friday.
Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 22 June 2023.
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