The National Planning Commission (NPC) has finalized the approach paper of the 16th periodic plan, identifying a dozen transformational sectors. The full meeting of the National Planning Commission (NPC) chaired by its Chairman Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Wednesday endorsed the approach paper of the 16th plan which will be implemented from 2024/25 to 2029/30

Social justice, good governance, and property are presented as major priorities in the approach paper as it aims to promote good governance in administrative and judicial sectors, establish social justice in health, education, employment, and housing sectors and achieve prosperity in social life, economic development and in the national economy. 

Quality infrastructure development and systematic urbanization, social empowerment, promotion of inclusion and social security, containment of unwanted and informal transactions, allocation efficiency, and capacity enhancement for capital expenditure, environment protection, biological diversity and disaster management, and sustainable development of effective public administration are other areas of the priorities identified by the approach paper.

Addressing the meeting, PM Dahal said the 16th Periodic Plan is expected to be capable of bringing about quality transformations in the overall economy of the nation. “Our institutional and structural set-up, as well as our performance style, demand significant transformations in the formulation and implementation of policies, programs, and the budget,” said Dahal. 

Wednesday’s meeting also decided to take the approach paper for wider discussions from the province to local levels. The NPC has prepared a work plan extending till 12 Feb 2024, to develop the document of the new periodic plan and have it approved. The work on the formulation of the new five-year periodic plan had been started in the second week of June in accordance with the Procedures on Institutional Provisions for Formulation of the 16th Plan, 2023 prepared by the NPC.

The NPC plans to finalize the final draft of the 16th plan by the first week of Feb 2024 and get it endorsed by the cabinet by 12 Feb 2024. 

The NPC will now ask all the ministries for preliminary discussions and seek their suggestions. Similarly, preparations for the overall economic and investment outline (economic modeling) will be done within the last week of August. The Commission aims to prepare and endorse the sector-wise integrated preliminary draft of the 16th Periodic Plan by the last week of September. 

The approach paper has also presented a review of the 15th Periodic Plan, acknowledging that its goals were affected by challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.