President unveils govt policies and programmes
Kathmandu, May 2
President Ramchandra Paudel has presented the
government’s policies and programmes for the upcoming Fiscal Year 2025/26 with
an emphasis on policy stability and the continuation of the current political
stability based on healthy competition, cooperation and coexistence.
Presenting the policies and programmes at the
joint session of the Federal Parliament on Friday afternoon, President Paudel
said that the review of constitution, strengthening of its positive aspects,
and its amendment based on consensus are the priority of the government. The
amendment to the constitution is expected to rectify the shortcomings seen
during its implementation.
There will be efforts to strengthen the constitution and the federal
democratic republican system of governance, and to counter any kind of
reactionary-revivalist anarchic activities against it, he said.
According to the policy document, the government will further strengthen the programmes
operated by government bodies on the development of entrepreneurship,
production, productivity, and job creation.
"The government will also work to commercialise agriculture and
build infrastructure through cooperation, coordination, and collaboration among
the three levels of government," said President Paudel.
He also said that the present government was committed to increasing dynamism, controlling
corruption and ending impunity.
Centring on the minimum common commitments and priorities of the
coalition government made public at the time of the formation of the present government,
this government is determined to promote good governance and achieve rapid
economic development with a shared resolve, he said.
The government has also announced to stop wasteful expenditure by
abolishing, merging and transferring unnecessary structures. "Expanding 'faceless
service' to make public service effective and developing the Nagarik App as the
main digital tool for providing services and
making all possible services online will also be the priority next
year," it said.
President Paudel also announced that the respective governments will
implement the development programmes under the concurrent list of rights of the
federal, provincial, and local levels as mentioned in the constitution in a
coordinated manner.
An integrated project bank system will be implemented to eliminate
duplication between the federal, provincial, and local levels in development
programmes.
The government said that the economy will be revitalised through
the implementation of the report of the High-Level Economic Reform and
Recommendation Commission.
The policy document emphasised
collaboration among the public, cooperative, and private sectors to generate
employment opportunities and alleviate poverty.
To achieve high,
sustainable, and inclusive economic growth, public-private partnerships will be
encouraged while maintaining harmony between fiscal and monetary policies, it
said.
A business-friendly
environment will be created by means of additional policy reforms and
procedural simplification for promoting private investment.
Allocative efficiency in public expenditure
will be enhanced, with investments focused on high-yield projects, it said.
The government has targeted
to close, merged and restructured the unnecessary public entities. While
keeping recurrent expenditures within desired limit, public sector investments
will be focused on complementing and promoting private sector investment.
"The tax system
will be structurally transformed with a view to promoting industrialisation,
attracting investment, and enhancing the competitiveness of the economy. The
policy document states that a taxpayer-friendly revenue system will be
developed through reforms in tax administration and the use of information
technology," read the document.
It said that development
cooperation will be mobilised through the national system in line with
development needs and priorities.
Foreign investment
will be focused on high-return industrial and physical infrastructure projects.
Development
cooperation will be mobilised to enhance Nepal's access to climate funds,
foster the development of innovative technologies, encourage private sector
investment and boost the productivity of the economy.
An Alternative
Development Finance Fund will be established to meet project investment needs.
The bill related to the operation of the Alternative Development Finance Fund
will be passed in the current session of the Parliament.
In alignment with the strategies of the
Sixteenth Plan, employment-oriented economic growth and structural
transformation will be pursued by implementing information technology, tourism,
agriculture, energy, and green industrialisation as foundational sectors, with
an emphasis on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, said the
document.
The LDC Graduation
Smooth Transition Strategy will be implemented to facilitate the smooth
transition from a least developed country to a developing country by 2026.
Laws related to the expansion
of trade agreements, alternative finance, and commodity exchange will be
enacted. Private capital will be attracted to potential public infrastructure projects
through innovative financial instruments. The Securities Board of Nepal will be
strengthened, and Nepal Stock Exchange will be restructured to enhance the
capacity and transparency of the capital market.
The Second Financial
Sector Development Strategy will also be implemented.
An Asset Management
Company will be established to manage non-banking assets and non-performing
loans of banks and financial institutions.
Information
technology infrastructure will be expanded to develop the digital economy and
increase cashless financial transactions.
Digital banks will be
established by adopting appropriate policy and legal frameworks.
Based on studies of
their current state, public enterprises will be managed efficiently by means of
restructuring, transfer to the private sector, and monetisation through
appropriate means.
Insurance services
will be made accessible and reliable. Insurance Information Centre will be
operationalised while promoting insurance of physical properties.
To achieve
self-reliance in agricultural produce, subsistence agriculture will be
modernised and commercialised through mechanisation and specialisation.
A strong ecosystem of
land, agriculture equipment, insurance, purchase agreements, and markets will
be developed to attract youths to agriculture.
A pilot project will
be launched for aspiring entrepreneurs in any sub-sector of agriculture.
The Prime Minister
Agriculture Modernisation Project will be restructured and continued as the National
Integrated Agriculture Modernisation Programme.
Digital system will
be developed to make agricultural services accessible and transparent.
Quarantine and laboratory services will be upgraded.
To address the demand
for electricity supply, even during the dry season, and to maintain energy
security, an appropriate financial model will be adopted for the development of reservoir-based and multipurpose hydropower
projects.
National and
cross-border high-capacity transmission lines will be expanded in the
participation of the private sector.
According to the policy
document, efforts will be made to channelise remittances for Nepali citizens
working abroad into mega hydropower projects.
The Dhauwadi Iron
Company will be operated on a public-private partnership, and sick industries
with business potential will be re-operated by adopting appropriate management
methods.
The role and scope of
the contribution-based Social Security Fund will be expanded so as to
mandatorily enrol all employees regardless of the nature and terms of their
employment. A legal provision will be introduced requiring companies,
institutions, cooperatives, firms, or other organised entities to submit proof
of enrolment of employees in and regular contribution to the Social Security
Fund while renewing their registration.
A long-term roadmap
for governance reform in school education will be prepared, followed by
restructuring.
The Bill to amend and
consolidate laws related to school education will be passed in the ongoing
session of the Parliament. Arrangements will be made to ensure that all
children receive basic education by the year 2084 B.S.
The President Education Reform Programme will
be revised and strengthened as the National Education Reform Programme.
The government said
that scholarship will be provided to the international medal winning sports
players and their children for their education.
Tribhuvan University
Cricket Ground will be transformed into a cricket ground of modern standards.
Adopting both the
preventive and curative methods, all aspects of the medical system will be
developed under the 'Healthy Nepal Campaign', said the document.
The government said
that intensive burn care and cardiac services will be expanded in all seven
provinces.
Cancer and kidney
transplant services will be expanded to the provincial level, it said.
The country will be
upgraded to a full anti-money laundering complaint country by the year 2083
B.S. by completing all tasks according to the National Strategy and Action Plan
on Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism.
Similarly, the
government said that the electronic government procurement system (e-GP) will
be upgraded to make public procurement result-oriented and effective.
Likewise, strong and balanced international relations will be
developed by keeping in mind national independence, sovereignty, territorial
integrity, and the paramount interests of the nation and the Nepali people.
The government has also promised to formulate laws relating to cooperatives. While formulating such laws, the
distinct identity, autonomy, and self-governance of cooperatives shall be
maintained.
It said that an equitable distribution of the benefits of
development shall be ensured. Arrangements shall be made for the participation
of the backward and economically disadvantaged groups in the opportunities and
benefits of development.
"The state shall adopt a policy of providing special
opportunities and facilities to the backward communities and economically and
socially disadvantaged groups by making special provisions for their education,
health, housing, employment, food sovereignty, and social security for their
protection, upliftment, and development," read the document.
According to the policy document, the government will maintain
transparency in the functions of its various bodies. Except for matters of a
confidential nature as specified by law, every citizen shall have the right to
have access to information about the decisions made by the state and the
functions it carries out.
Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 3 May 2025 (Jointly prepared with Laxman Kafle).
