"16th five-year national plan shall be objective and result-oriented"

KATHMANDU, AUGUST 18: During a discussion program held in the capital yesterday, the Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) emphasized that the upcoming 16th five-year national plan should be both objective and result-oriented. Rajendra Malla, the President of NCC, offered this advice, noting that the 15th five-year plan fell short of several key targets due to a lack of alignment with ground realities. For instance, targets such as achieving 10.3 percent economic growth by 2022/23 and implementing metro trains in major cities were not met. Malla stressed the need to learn from past failures and design the new national plan with a realistic approach.

As Nepal prepares for its transition from the list of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) by 2026, Malla emphasized the importance of adopting a special strategy for economic growth. He highlighted the need to position Nepal as a transit hub between India and China, leveraging its geographical location to facilitate trade between these two economic powerhouses.

Vice-Chairman of the National Planning Commission (NPC), Dr. Min Bahadur Shrestha, welcomed NCC's suggestions and opinions regarding the upcoming national plan. He assured that the NPC would conduct an objective study of key sectors such as agriculture, tourism, IT, etc while designing the national plan.