Kathmandu, October 30

With plans to increase public-private partnership (PPP) model in implementing infrastructure and service sector-related projects, National Planning Commission (NPC) — the apex planning body of the country — has accelerate procedures to establish a PPP Centre for the first time in the country.

The PPP Centre will work to lure more investment in the projects that would be implemented under the PPP model.

The agriculture, forest and local development division of NPC is finalising the study for establishing the PPP Centre. With collaboration of the Ministry of Finance (MoF) and Ministry of General Administration, the division will finalise the study within November 15.

According to Sunil Babu Shrestha, a member of NPC, the PPP Centre will initially facilitate projects worth up to Rs 100 million. “Nepal needs much investment in infrastructure sector. We can implement big projects under this model,” Shrestha said.

NPC plans to establish PPP Centre as a part of the commission for now, but it would be developed as a separate unit in the future.

As per NPC’s plan, experts related to infrastructure and investment sectors will represent on the board of PPP Centre. Experts will conduct trainings and other facilitation programmes for government officials and representatives from private sector to implement the projects under the PPP model.

Shrestha informed that the government will identify the projects that can be implemented under PPP model and the PPP Centre will hold discussions with the private sector for collaboration to realise them. The centre would then decide whether the projects could be implemented under PPP model or not.

The government had published PPP Policy on November, 2015. NPC has planned to establish the unit under the provision of the PPP Policy. Similarly, the MoF is preparing the draft of PPP Bill.

As per the 14th interim plan (2016-17 to 2018-19), the government has estimated that the private sector would invest Rs 1,327 billion on infrastructure- and service sector-related industries.