Donors left out of PPP Policy consultative meeting

KATHMANDU:

The Ministry of Finance (MoF) today held a consultative meeting with senior government officials and private sector representatives on the draft of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Policy.

Finance Minister Ram Sharan Mahat, National Planning Commission Vice Chairman Govind Raj Pokharel, Nepal Rastra Bank Governor Chiranjibi Nepal, senior officials of various ministries and representatives of various private sector umbrella bodies like the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Confederation of Nepalese Industry, Non-Resident Nepalis Association and Independent Power Producers Association of Nepal, among others, took part in the meeting.

But one group that was left out from the consultative meeting was the country’s development partners, or bilateral and multilateral donor agencies.

It is said only representative of the Asian Development Bank, which is helping the government frame PPP Policy, was present in today’s meeting.

It is not that the government must hold consultation with development partners prior to launching the Policy. But at a time when the government itself is encouraging development partners to gradually shift focus from social sector to infrastructure development, it would have been prudent to get their feedback. Their engagement would also have been valuable because donor agencies can work as agents to bring in foreign investors to the country.

However, Finance Secretary Suman Prasad Sharma told the gathering that a consultative meeting should also be held with development partners and academicians once feedback gathered during today’s meeting is incorporated in the PPP Policy, a senior MoF official who took part in today’s meeting said.

Source:THT