Poverty reduction should be given priority: Regmi

KATHMANDU, JUL 06 -

With the government already announcing to graduate the country to developing country status by 2022, Interim Election Council Chairman Khil Raj Regmi has stressed on utilising resources to meet the goal.

Addressing the National Development Council (NDC) meeting organised to endorse the ‘Approach Paper’ of 13th interim plan here on Friday, Regmi said poverty reduction should be at the centre of the new plan. The approach paper has envisioned reducing poverty to 18 percent from current 23.8 percent. The long-term goal of the new three-year plan is to make Nepal a developing country by 2022.

The National Planning Commission (NPC) tabled the draft of the interim plan at the National Development Council on Friday. The NPC is of the view that the achievement of the goal will depend on the economic growth status.

The paper has set the economic growth target at 6 percent during the plan period. Progress in social indicators such as health, education and sanitation, among others, and the country’s economic vulnerability are the other areas where improvement is necessary to graduate Nepal to developing country status. Regmi lauded the country’s progress in the areas of health, education and sanitation due to increased investment in the social sector in the recent years. He, however, said the lack of investment climate, energy crisis and the inadequate resources are the major risks for the country’s economy.

Source: The Kathmandu Post