KATHMANDU, JULY 5
The National Planning Commission (NPC) convened a meeting at Singha Durbar, chaired by Min Bahadur Shrestha, vice-chairman of the National Planning Commission, to discuss the 16th five-year periodic plan.
The meeting involved representatives from the Provincial Planning Commissions, District Coordination Committees, Municipal Associations, and Rural Municipal Associations.
During the meeting, several vice-chairmen of the Provincial Planning Commissions presented their suggestions for the 16th five-year periodic plan.
Nathu Prasad Chaudhary from Madhesh Province Planning Commission, Nara Bikram Thapa from Bagmati Province Policy and Planning Commission, Nahakul Kesi from Lumbini Province Planning Commission, Yogendra Bahadur Shahi from Karnali Province Planning Commission, and Mohan Dev Bishwakarma from Sudurpashchim Province Planning Commission all shared their insights.
Moreover, Dipak Gautam, deputy secretary-general of the District Coordination Committee Federation, Bhim Prasad Dhungana, president of the Municipal Association, and Lekhnath Pokharel, advisor to the National Federation of Rural Municipalities, provided their suggestions for the 16th five-year periodic plan.
The suggestions put forward by the participants primarily focused on two key areas: Increasing agricultural productivity and generating employment opportunities. The participants emphasised the importance of improving access to quality healthcare and enhancing the quality of education.
They also highlighted the need to address the weaknesses identified in the 15th five-year periodic plan and recommended that the 16th five-year periodic plan give special attention to agricultural productivity and employment.
Furthermore, suggestions were made to promote scientific forest management practices, which could lead to contribution of the forestry sector in the gross domestic product at 15 per cent, and reduce the import of wooden furniture.
Initiatives such as promoting the export of water from the Himalayas, creating employment through information technology, and emphasising skilled human resource development were also proposed.
A version of this article appears in the print on July 6, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
