KATHMANDU: The National Planning Commission has tabled the draft of the 13th plan with an ambitious goal to transform Nepal from least developed country to a developing country in the next ten years.

The long-term goal of the new three-year plan is to make Nepal a developing country by 2022. The draft of the interim plan was tabled before the National Development Council on Friday.

The proposed draft also targets to bring down the population below the poverty line from existing 23 per cent to 18 per cent with an economic growth rate of 6 per cent.

Other goals of the plan are to achieve an annual growth rate of 4.5 per cent in the agriculture sector, take life expectancy to 71 years, employment growth rate to 3.2 per cent and the maternal mortality rate to 134 per 100,000.

Hydropower and energy development, increasing agricultural productivity, basic education and health, drinking water and cleanliness, good governance, tourism, and industry and trade are areas of priority in the plan.

An agreement to this end was signed and exchanged amidst a ceremony at the Ministry of Finance on Friday. The project with a capacity of generating 20MW of electricity shall be operated in Achham district.

Madhhu Kumar Marasini, Joint Secretary and Chief of the International Economic Cooperation and Coordination Division, Ministry of Finance and Mr Hesham Al-Waqayan, Deputy Director General, Kuwait Fund signed on the agreement on behalf of the respective sides.