Call for time-bound economic reforms

Kathmandu, February 3:

Speakers at a meeting today stressed on the need to bring time bound reform programmes, improve environment for investment and urged the SPA to take the country’s economic reform programmes in the right direction.

Time-bound reform programmes are imperative to achieve the set goals and meet aspirations of people, said Praful Patel, vice-president of World Bank, speaking at the pre-consultation meet on ‘Economic Update and Reforms’ today.

“The international community is watching how Nepal works in the transition period very closely to know how could they support this country,” he said, adding that the promises made to the public should be fulfiled.

He said that while making reforms in the labour sector, new opportunities should be created for the semi-skilled human resources and the trained human resources should be given opportunity to work in the national market.

Dr Puspa Raj Rajkarnikar, member of the National Planning Commission, said the unity of the SPA should remain intact to face big challenges. “Exports are declining, the growth rate is getting lowered and the gap between poor and rich is widening in the country. So, adequate resources should be allocated to make the tourism industry the main economic sector.”

“A country’s growth and economic reform depends on the given political condition,” said Dr Prakash Saran Mahat, member of the parliament.

Rameshore Prasad Khanal, revenue secretary at the Ministry of Finance, who presented a paper ‘Economic Update, Challenges and Road Ahead’, said the Three-Year Interim Plan has set modest target of restoring economic confidence, promoting social equity and creating a base for socio-economic transformation.