KATHMANDU: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has urged all to join hands for the development of Nepal utilising natural and human resources in the country.

Inaugurating the meeting of the National Development Council here today, the Prime Minister said the government was making efforts to explore mines. He mentioned that iron mine was discovered in Nawalparasi and natural gas was being explored in Dailekh. Such resources should be utilised for national development, he said.

Prime Minister Oli further stressed on increasing export and decreasing import for self dependence of Nepal. He also expressed confidence that the nation can achieve the developmental success by taking inspiration from China, Korea and Japan.

Oli added that the backward communities could be taken forward after imparting skillful training on them and exploring income generation opportunities. He added that capacity for spending the budget for development was essential.

The Prime Minister further urged the Council members to prepare guideline project for a three-year economic progress.

Similarly, Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel stressed on higher economic development growth for the formation of the welfare state. He opined for the necessity of three sectors, government, public and private to work together for national development.

He expected Rs 130 billion investment from the private sector and said it may generate employment to 400,000 people in the country.

Likewise, National Planning Commission Vice-Chair Dr Yubraj Khatiwada informed that the base paper was prepared to bring down poverty line to 17 per cent in the 14th Plan. He also said that a plan has been developed to increase youth employment in the country.

He said that the base paper prepared for the 14th plan by secretary at the commission Suresh Man Shrestha and joint secretary Tulasi Prasad Gautam among others with experiences from the 13th plan, has been forwarded for deliberations in the Council meeting.

Discussion on various others issues will also be held in the meeting that will run until Monday.

Five groups have been created to deliberate on various kinds of issues including economic area, industry, commerce, supplies, tourism and culture fall into Group A and infrastructure development, energy, roads, bridges, drinking water, communications, building, housing, town development and reconstructions are placed in Group B.

Likewise, agriculture, forest, land reform, irrigation and food security fall under Group C while Group D contains social development and good governance, monitoring and evaluation among others fall into Group E.

A final touch will be given to the 14th plan after discussion in the meeting.