SURKHET, DECEMBER 15

Stakeholders and the representatives of the local governments have suggested that the National Planning Commission should prepare the 16th five-year plan by giving top priority to Karnali Province.

The participants said so during a two-day event organized here by the NPC to collect feedback for the 16th five-year plan.

The representatives of the local government from Karnali Province have asked the NPC to make special focus on Karnali Province adding that the province has lagged behind on several indicators.

On the occasion, Mayor of Bheri Ganga Municipality Yagya Prasad Dhakal said that the NPC should consider the tourism potentiality of Karnali and include this in the 16th periodic plan with top importance.

The government's plans and policies should promote medicinal herbs and local crops of Karnali and help establish the medicinal processing industries, Dhakal added.

The local government representatives further suggested that the NPC should come up with the plans to retain youths in the country adding that the number of youths leaving the country for foreign jobs has risen sharply in the recent years.

NPC Vice-Chairman Min Bahadur Shrestha, NPC Secretariat's Secretary Toya Narayan Gyawali and other officials were present in the event organized to collect feedback from the local governments.