Govt yet to appoint NPC office bearers

KATHMANDU, May 3:

The incumbent government has failed to appoint vice-chairman as well as members of the National Planning Commission (NPC) even after more than a month in power.

The key positions at the planning commission remains vacant when the government is formulating the annual budget for the fiscal year 2014/15. This despite the fact that NPC plays vital role to align the long-term plan with the annual budget.

Little wonder that the government is drawing flak from various sectors regarding its seriousness and preparedness to present the budget in time.

“NPC has an integral role on the formulation of budget, especially in aligning the long-term plans with annual development budget,” said Jagadish Chandra Pokhrel, former vice-chairman of NPC, adding “The government should immediately make the appointments to the NPC.”

Meanwhile the coalition partners- Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN (UML) - are planning to send their near and dears to the NPC, according to high level sources.

NPC under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister comprises a vice-chairman and seven other members. NC will send the vice-chairman and three members and the rest will be appointed under the recommendation of the other coalition partner, the source added.

Six candidates in NC´s good book vying for the post of NPC vice-chairman are Dr Tilak Rawol, Dr Posh Raj Pandey, Tirth Khaniya, Dr Pushkar Bajracharya, Dr Bimal Koirala and Dr Chiranjivi Nepal, but non of them are ready to accept the post of the commission member.

“The Prime Minister has become indecisive on all those candidates,” a high level source at the prime minister´s private secretariat told Republica, adding, “Finance Minister Dr Ram Sharan Mahat is positive about Tilak Rawal.”

Mahat has been stating that he has not recommended any name for the post of NPC vice chair and that he is unaware about the entire process.

Rawal is a former governor of Nepal Rastra Bank, and rest of the names doing round for the NPC vice chair, except Bimal Koirala and Chiranjivi Nepal, have already served as a member of the commission. Nepal is currently serving as an economic advisor to the Prime Minister and Koirala is a former chief secretary.

However the CPN UML has decided to send Dr Govinda Nepal as a member, according to UML leader Rabindra Adhikary. He also said that they will send other members following the appointment of the vice chair.

Source: Republica