KATHMANDU: The government has presented its policies and programmes to the Parliament which aim to achieve economic prosperity through developing physical infrastructure and enhancing the quality of services.

The policies and programmes of the government unveiled by President Bidhya Devi Bhandari today lay emphasis on effective service delivery and execution of development projects through rigorous monitoring of results.

Based on the policies and programmes unveiled today, the government will formulate the budget for the next fiscal. The policies and programmes envision achieving close to double digit growth in the next fiscal and double digit growth within five years. Addressing structural bottlenecks of the economy highlighted in the whitepaper on the economic situation, the country will emphasise boosting production, employment generation, self-reliance and enhancing export competitiveness to move towards higher growth trajectory.

The government will formulate a full-fledged periodic plan from the next fiscal and aim to achieve targeted results in timely manner through intensive monitoring of each ministry and department. Also, there will be a high-level monitoring mechanism under the prime minister for monitoring the monitors.

The sub-national governments also have to formulate plans based on the goals set by the comprehensive national plan. The federal government will formulate fiscal and monetary policies to support the sub-national governments to achieve their goals. The federal government will also provide administrative facilitation to enhance the capacity of sub-national governments.

The policies and programmes prioritise rail and road infrastructure, with the aim of connecting all headquarters of local bodies with black-topped roads and broadband internet within five years.

The government seems to be adopting restrictive policy on imports, as the policies and programmes state that import of products like alcohol and cigarettes that are hazardous to health and products that harm the economy will be curbed. On the other hand, revitalisation of sick industries in public-private partnership has been stressed.

Similarly, the policies and programmes emphasise establishing one-stop centre for investors to reduce the cost of doing business. They stress on improving the north-south corridors to reduce the cost of transportation and lay emphasis on productive use of remittances and creating adequate employment opportunities within the country.

The government has announced establishment of Prime Minister Employment Project to create job opportunities for youths.

It has set a target of completing a few infrastructure projects that are under construction within five

years. These include completion of Mid-hill Highway, Postal Highway, Kathmandu-Nijgadh Fast Track, Gautam Buddha International Airport within a year and Pokhara Regional International Airport within three years. It also aims to promote private investment in infrastructure by making needful changes in public procurement law and environmental impact assessment law. The ambitious rail projects announced by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli — Kathmandu-Birgunj and Rasuwagadi-Kathmandu-Pokhara-Lumbini — have been included in the policies and programmes.

The government also announced two new projects named after its past leader. One is Madan Bhandari Highway that will connect the inner Madhes from Jhapa to Dadeldhura to encourage industrial corridors to the Chure range. It also plans to establish Madan Bhandari Science and Technology Academy similar to Nepal Academy of Science and Technology to carry out research on science and technology.

The policies and programmes of the government further state that it will transfer service delivery mechanisms to the lower layers and scrap those that cannot be transferred or in case of duplication.

Five-year target

• Double digit economic growth
• Per capita income of over $2,000
• Double agriculture production
• Generate additional 5,000 megawatts of electricity
• Completion of Mid-hill Highway, Postal Highway, Kathmandu-Nijgadh Fast Track
• Gautam Buddha International Airport (within a year) and Pokhara Regional International Airport (within three years)
• Connect headquarters of local bodies with broadband internet and black-topped roads
• 15-bed hospital in every local body
• 24X7 electricity for every sector, including public transportation
• Sufficient job opportunities

Major highlights

• To undertake restrictive import policy on hazardous products such as alcohol, cigarettes and tobacco and those products that harm the economy
• To be self-reliant in sugar, pharmaceutical products, cement, leather footwear
• To formulate and implement full-fledged periodic plan
• To enhance capacity of sub-national governments
• Per capita energy consumption will be raised from 110 kwh to 1,500 kwh within 10 years
• 765-megawatt East-West transmission line, Rasuwagadi-Kathmandu-Birgunj Corridor transmission line; high capacity transmission line along Koshi, Gandaki and Karnali Corridor
• East-West Railway, Kathmandu-Birgunj Railway, Rasuwagadi-Kathmandu-Pokhara-Lumbini railway
• New highway (proposed Madan Bhandari Highway) in Chure range from Shantinagar of Jhapa to Rupal of Dadeldhura
• To establish Madan Bhandari Science and Technology Academy
• To ensure optimum use of IT in service delivery

(UPDATED)

President Bhandari presents govt's policies and programmes

RASTRIYA SAMACHAR SAMITI

KATHMANDU: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has presented the government's policies and programmes for the fiscal year 2075/76 BS (2018/19) in a joint session of the Federal Parliament today at the parliament building in New Baneshwar, Kathmandu.

The presentation which started at 4:10 pm, and took place three months after the formation of the incumbent government led by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, is in line with the new constitution that requires Head of the State to present new government's policies and programmes.

On the occasion, Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara, Chairperson of National Assembly Ganesh Prasad Timilsina, Minister for Justice, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Sher Bahadur Tamang, General Secretary of the Federal Parliament Secretariat and other high ranking officials welcomed President Bhandari. Likewise, a contingent of Nepal Army offered a guard of honour to the President.

Members of both the houses — arriving at the Parliament Building, largely decorated for the session — were seen in official attires and in line with their ethnic culture and identities. Likewise, top leaders of various political parties, high-ranking government officials, chiefs of constitutional bodies, chiefs of security bodies and diplomatic missions were also present at the special ceremony.

In the session, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, before the joint sitting, presented the book of government policies and programmes to the Head-of-State.

As per the constitutional provision, President may address a meeting of either House or a joint sitting of both Houses of the Federal Parliament, and summon members for that purpose.

The Federal Parliament of Nepal is bicameral. The 59-member National Assembly serves as the Upper House and the 275-member House of Representatives as the Lower House.

As per the constitution, budget of the centre shall be presented on Jestha 15 of the Nepali calendar every year while the budget of provinces and local-levels shall be presented on Ashad 1 and 10 of the Nepali calendar every year, respectively.

Soon after the conclusion of the joint session, separate meetings of NA and HoR will express gratitude to the President for her address.

Deliberations on new government's policies and programmes will be held in both Houses within the next few days and the Prime Minister will respond to the queries raised by the parliamentarians in this regard.

The policies and programmes shall be passed by presenting it before both the houses for decisions.