DPM Khadka discusses about 16th Periodic Plan with NPC officials

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Purna Bahadur Khadka today met with officials of National Planning Commission (NPC) to discuss with the upcoming 16th Periodic Plan.

During the meeting held at the Ministry of Defence, the NPC team comprising vice chair, members and member secretary briefed the Minister about the formulation of upcoming the Plan, according to the Minister’s Secretariat. On the occasion, the Minister advised the NPC team to assess challenges in implementing plans in the past and find out the solutions as well.

On the occasion, he urged the NPC delegation to specify issues of the provinces by observing obstacles for their developments in the Plan. As he stressed, plans should drafted in a way that citizens of respective province and areas could own them.

Nation’s geography and ecology should also be considered while drafting the Plans. The productions of specific areas, substantive research about such productions and the certainty of market for farmers’ productions should be the priorities of the Plan, he told the NPC officials. “Plan with identifications of challenges in development endeavors and probable solutions are needed of the hour.”

He insisted the need to address the issues such as lengthy administrative procedures, challenges in clearing the site and in the land acquisition in the Plan.

Each plan is expected to capable of addressing problems that the citizens are facing in their daily lives and to be applicable as well, according to the Minister.

NPC Vice Chair Dr Min Bahadur Shrestha, member Dr Anita Shah Dhungana, member secretary Dr Toya Narayan Gyawali, Defense Secretary Kiran Raj Sharma and joint-secretary Gyanendra Poudel were among those present in the discussions.