KATHMANDU, April 3: Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, chairman of Nepal Communist Party, has highlighted the importance of technical education in the curriculum from school to university in order to cope with the growing problems of unemployment.

Addressing a meeting of the National Development Council in Kathmandu on Thursday, he added, “If we think about the 25 years plan, our focus must be centered education.”

“Education policies from school to university should be reformed in a way it could create employment opportunities within the country so that youths will not go abroad seeking employment and higher studies.”

He was of the view the tendency of youth going abroad has decreased the number of productive workforce in the country.

The National Development Council meeting is being held for the first time after the country entered into the federal set up. The two-day meeting will finalize the draft of the 15th five-year plan (fiscal years 2019-20 AD to 2023-24 AD) prepared by the National Planning Commission.

By Prakash Silwal
KATHMANDU, March 6: The draft approach paper of the 15th plan along with the long-term vision prepared by the National Planning Commission (NPC) envisions graduating the country to the status of a rich nation by 2099 BS (2043 AD).

NPC has prepared the five-year plan with the long-term vision of 25 years to materialize the national goal of ‘Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali’ set by the government. The plan will remain under implementation from fiscal year 2019/2020 to fiscal year 2023/2024.

The NPC has presented the draft plan to the stakeholders today for their feedback.

It is stated in the plan that the per capita income of the country would be increased to 12,500 US Dollars by the year 2044 AD. The per capita income at present is 1004 US Dollars while the GDP is Rs 3 trillion 7 billion. Of the total population of the country, 21.6 per cent is under the poverty line.

The human development index of State-2, Karnali State and the Sudur Paschim (Far-west) State is low in comparison to that of other States. The governing Nepal Communist Party (NCP) had declared in its election manifesto that Nepal would be graduated to the status of a rich country by 2043.

GOAL OF INITIATING TRANSFORMATIVE PROJECT
The concept of sector-wise planning has been aligned with the draft of the approach paper and brought for consultation after holding discussions at the level of Prime Minister, ministers, related ministries, the States, local level, private, community and intellectuals. The approach paper has set the vision, goals and strategy in six thematic sectors including economic (industry, commerce, supply and tourism), infrastructure, agriculture and natural resource management, social sector, democracy and good-governance and cross-cutting issues.

The 15th plan has set the goal of completing the ongoing 17 national pride projects.

It has also named the Pashupati Area Development Trust, the President Chure Tarai-Madhes Conservation and the Railway and Metro Development Project as the projects of national pride.

It also envisions starting the Budhigandaki Hydroelectricity Project and the West Seti Hydroelectricity Project as the national pride projects within the plan period.

The approach paper has proposed for thematic thought, goal and policy. The goal of beginning the transformative projects by establishing National Planning Bank of the Commission has also been included in the approach paper.

The approach paper has incorporated the strategy of guaranteeing rapid, long-term and employment-oriented economic growth, quality and accessible health service and education, internal and inter-country connectivity and long-term development, increase in production and productivity, dynamic society, conservation of natural resources and mobilization and development of entrepreneurship.

It has also adopted collaboration among private, community and development partners.

Vice-Chair of NPC, Dr Pushpa Raj Kandel, said that the three different national goals—prosperous economy, social justice and socialism-oriented state have been set.

The NPC will do further homework for 25-year long-term thoughts as it has to brought 15th planning immediately.

NPC Secretary Laxman Acharya said that the planning would become milestone in achieving the goal of prosperity.

Commission’s Joint-Secretary Khem Raj Koirala shared that a discussion was held among the participants after presenting approach paper on economic sectors envisioning the implementation of constitution, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and double digit economic growth of the country.

SUGGESTION TO BRING BALANCED AND PRACTICAL PLANS
Participating in the consultation are the members of the federal parliament lawmakers, former ministers, human rights activists and representatives from various organizations.

Participants had raised questions on how to implement new plans and programs in the context of lack of implementation of budget and planning.

Lawmaker Top Bahadur Rayamajhi commented that this approach paper which had planned in traditional model and style, could not determine the base for the balanced and sustainable development.

Another lawmaker Gaurishankar Chaudhary demanded to devise a clear plan aimed at reducing poverty in State 2.

Similarly, Ganesh Pahadi suggested to address the issues relating to the untimely completion of the projects in lack of preparations and coordination among the ministries.

Dalit NGO Federation President Bhakta Bahadur Biswakarma recommended to introduce plans and programs that would secure the welfare of the Dalits below the poverty line in the country. “Their inclusiveness and equity should be taken into account,” he said.

Nepal Chamber of Commerce Vice-President Kamalesh Kumar Mandal viewed that the foreign investors were discouraged to invest in Nepal due to the new taxation system in the country which was launched to make it more progress.

Likewise, Community Forest User Group National Federation President Bharati Pathak argued that the Chure forest conservation plan would not come to fruition by displacing the human-less human settlements in the Chure Area.

The Commission will consider amendment in the Draft after holding six thematic discussions and presentation.

Nepal first introduced five-year plan in 2056 to outline a practical program for economic and social development in the country. During this period, nine Five-Year Plan and five Three-Year Mid-Term Plans were implemented.

KATHMANDU, May 25: The government has been advised to strictly regulate the activities of non-government organizations instead of controlling them.

Speaking at an interaction programs on ‘ legal structure related to non-government organizations in Nepal’ organized by the Good Governance (GoGo) Foundation on Friday, the regulatory role of the government was sought in relation with NGOs.

National Planning Commission member Meen Bahadur Shahi said the government would strengthen the presence of Social Welfare Council and regulate the business of NGOs in the country.

He added that the government was about to revise the structure of Council to make the regulation of activities of NGOs more effective. Public-private cooperation could lead the nation towards prosperity.

Lawmaker Yagya Bahadur Sunar said regulation of NGOs was essential as NGOs even did not follow the instruction of the State.

Lawmaker Narayan Khatiwada was of the view that NGOs should be allowed to work on the issues of nationality and social issues. Local levels should be handed the responsibility of regulating them, he added.

Lawmaker Kishore Singh Rathaur stressed that whether target groups were benefitted by NGOs’ activities should be evaluated.

Lawmaker Rekha Kumar Jha underlined the need of formulation of new laws to monitor NGOs’ activities.

Informal Service Sector chair Subodh Pyakurel claimed that government bodies lacked competency and knowledge to regulate NGOs’ business. So far monitoring was limited to just in papers.

Secretary at the Office of Province Chief Minister, Indira Dahal, said lack of required laws and directives had made the monitoring over such organizations difficult.

Council vice chair Nilmani Baral said the effective monitoring and regulation of NGOs had not been possible due compulsion of working with the existing laws.

GoGo Foundation executive director Kedar Khadka highlighted the significant role of NGOs in bringing positive changes in the country their regulation not control was needed. RSS

KATHMANDU, Dec 20: A recent study carried out by the government has revealed that some 28.5 percent of Nepal’s population is still living under the poverty line.

According to a report about the Nepal’s first national multidimensional poverty index (MPI) unveiled by the National Planning Commission (NPC)  today, these people are facing multiple exclusions.

Nepal’s poverty was reduced by 50 per cent in a period from 2006 to 2014 AD, the report shows.

The report is based on three topics including malnutrition, minimum education, electricity facility, drinking water and sufficient sanitation conditions measured through three dimensions – health, education and livelihood.

The report shows that the poverty rate is higher in the Province 6 and Province 2 where 50 per cent people are living in poverty. They have no access to basic facilities like cooking fuel, sanitation, electricity, education and health. This figure is 30 per cent in the Province 5 and 15 per cent in the Province 3, 1 and 4.

According to the report, 41.6 per cent children are in multidimensional poverty.

Following the unveiling of the report, NPC vice chair Dr Swarnim Wagle said the MPI was the first ever method applied in the country to study about poverty from its roots and it would be helpful in mobilization of sources for development.

Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative Director Dr Sabina Alikare applauded Nepal’s significant and encouraging achievement in the area of poverty reduction.

KATHMANDU, Nov 13: A preliminary report has stated that the total damage caused by this year’s flood is approximately Rs 60.71 billion.

The National Planning Commission (NPC) on Monday submitted a report to Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on the need of recovery of the damages and losses caused by the 2017 floods.

The report states that nine most affected sectors are placed under three categories including social, productive and infrastructure sectors, NPC Vice Chairperson Dr Swarnim Wagle said.

The nine sectors are housing, health, education, agriculture, livestock, irrigation, transport, water and sanitation, and energy. Dr Wagle said that Rs 73.24 billion is expected to cost for the recovery of the affected areas.

He also said that short-term, mid-term and long-term strategies would be implemented for the recovery of the losses caused due to the floods.

Dr Wagle said that he submitted the report with necessary framework to address the risks adding that it would be implemented through a special unit of the National Reconstruction Authority established for the rehabilitation of the flood affected communities.

In the floods, 35 districts across the country were affected including 18 worst hit district of Tarai. RSS

KATHMANDU, August 3: The government has appointed Dr Swornim Wagle as the Vice-Chairman of the National Planning Commission of Nepal (NPC).

A meeting of the Council of Ministers held at Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers in Singha Durbar on Thursday appointed Wagle to the post.

The post was lying vacant after Min Bahadur Shrestha resigned from the post last week.

Wagle is a nember of the National Planning Commission of Nepal since September 2016. Previously he held the public office from May, 2014 to November, 2015.

Meanwhile, the meeting has also decided to accept the assistance amount of Rs 51.38 billion to be received from the United States’ Millennium Challenge Corporation for road and electricity transmission line in Nepal.