‘NPC should be developed into a think-tank institution’

Kathmandu, Aug 24 (RSS): There is a need for effective coordination between political commitment, planning process and decision-making as well as effectiveness in the implementation of plans in order to attain the goals set by the national plans.

Planners and policy-makers expressed this view at a round table discussion on "Nepal’s Planned Development: Lessons Learnt" organised by the Centre for Public Policy Dialogue (CPPD) here today.

The round table discussion was organised with the objective of figuring out the objectives of the Ninth five year plan and to deliberate on the framework of the tenth plan.

The participants also underlined the need to clearly define the National Planning Commission’s role, enhance its effectiveness and the need for the government to implement its plans and recommendations.

On the occasion, National Planning Commission (NPC) vice-chairman Prithivi Raj Ligal said that a change in the NPC’s working style and enhancing its effectiveness were on the cards.

The task of soliciting suggestions and recommendations in connection with the formulation of the tenth plan has been completed in all the five development regions, he said, adding that a national level seminar would be organised soon to solicit further suggestions in this connection.

MP from the CPN-UML and former NPC member Dr. Dilli Raj Khanal suggested that the National Planning Commission should be developed into a think-tank institution and it should be made fully responsible for formulating the long-term plans and their follow-up and evaluation.

Former NPC member Dr. Raghab Dhoj Panta complained that the poverty alleviation fund was not fully utilised, that the liberalisation policy and accompanying plans were not going in tandem and that even corporations going on profit were being privatised.

Or is it that the National Planning Commission itself is being privatised, he wondered.

Another former NPC vice-chairman Dr. Mohan Man Sainju observed that Nepal has taken a leap of sorts in terms of planned development.

He spoke of the need to do away with the tendency of showing plans only for the sake of soliciting assistance from donor agencies and emphasised on their implementation.

Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat said that all should take care of the fact that whether the plans formulated by the NPC are erroneous in themselves or whether it is the shortcoming in their implementation that the plans are not successful. He pointed out the need for effective reforms in these issues in the coming days.

Dr. Guna Nidhi Sharma was of the view that the tenth plan should incorporate such programmes which would give emphasis to public participation.

At the programme, centre chairman Bishwanath Sapkota, Dr. Minendra Rijal, Dr. Bholanath Chalise, NPC member Dr. Jagadish Pokharel, Dr. Durgesh Man Singh, Dr. Badri Prasad Shrestha, Dipendra Purush Dhakal, Narayan Raj Tiwari and other speakers said that plans should not be over-dependent on foreign assistance, that the rural sector and agriculture should be prioritised as these sectors are lagging behind and the policies and programmes should be reviewed besides cutting back on general expenditure and an increase on development expenditure.