Panels formed to achieve Sustainable Development Goals

KATHMANDU: The National Planning Commission on Thursday formed two high-level committees and nine thematic working groups under the coordination of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal to roll out and implement plans for the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

According to a press statement issued today, the national planning body formed a six-member directive committee comprising the Prime Minister, the NPC Vice-Chairperson, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Chief Secretary. The Secretary of NPC Secretariat will serve as the Member Secretary.

Similarly, the Implementation Coordination and Monitoring Committee would be chaired by the NPC Vice-Chairperson with the NPC member in charge of macroeconomic issues as the Deputy Coordinator.

"The secretaries of the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the presidents of Nepal Chamber of Commerce, the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industries and the Confederation of Nepalese Industries will serve as members and the joint-secretary of the Economic Management Division of NPC as Member Secretary," read the statement.

"These committees are also mandated to include representatives of civil society and other stakeholders as invited members," added the statement.

This is the first time that the leaders of the private sector have been formally included in high-level official committees responsible for the implementation of globally-agreed goals since 2000.

The Economic Management Division of the National Planning Commission Secretariat will act as the SDG Secretariat headed by the Joint-Secretary of the Division.

The two committees will be supported by nine Thematic Working Groups chaired by different NPC members for different issues.

The chair group includes Swarnim Wagle for economic development, Chandra Kanta Paudel for industrial development, Sunil Babu Shrestha for urban development, Geeta Bhakta Joshi for social development and Kripa Sindhu Prasad for employment management.

Similarly, other groups will be headed by Prabhu Budhathoki for agriculture, climate and environment; Hirendra Man Pradhan for physical infrastructure; Arbind Kumar Mishra for energy development and NPC Secretary Chandra Kumar Ghimire for peace, justice and inclusive Institutions. These thematic groups will comprise members from concerned ministries, the private sector, civil society and senior officials of the National Planning Commission Secretariat.