President Ramchandra Paudel read out the main provisions of the government's policy and program for the upcoming fiscal year 2081/82 at the joint meeting of Parliament today. The agenda is wide-ranging, covering reforms and initiatives across all major sectors.
Banking, Financial Sector and Cooperatives
Suggestions from previous studies will be implemented to solve problems in banks, financial institutions, microfinance, cooperatives, insurance and capital markets.
Loans of microfinance borrowers will be rescheduled and restructured.
Cooperatives will operate as per their purpose, with a specialized regulatory body for supervision. The Cooperative Savings and Credit Protection Fund, Credit Information Center will protect savings and investments.
Revival of Sick Public Enterprises
Closed and sick public institutions like Gorakhkali Rubber Industry, Butwal Thread Factory, Hetaunda Textile Industry etc. will be operated through public-private partnership or other suitable methods.
Economic Reforms
Nepal's country rating will be completed.
Identification of poor households will be done and they will get free insurance, electric stoves, tubewells etc.
Ongoing projects will be evaluated for completion, continuation, postponement or cancellation based on progress.
Public-private partnership projects will be expedited.
Procurement laws will be revised to make the system competitive, transparent and development-friendly.
National policy, standards and acceptance criteria will be prepared for studies, research and innovation.
The base year for national accounts estimates will be changed to include data from all three tiers of government.
Production and Employment Promotion
'Partnership for Production and Employment' program will be conducted jointly by all three government levels, private sector, cooperatives and communities.
Agriculture and Food Security
2081-82 declared as 'Agricultural Investment Decade' to boost investment in the sector.
Minimum support prices will be fixed for agricultural produce and livestock before production cycle.
Wholesale agricultural markets with humidity chambers will be established in metros/sub-metros.
Model farms will be set up at ward level in partnership with young farmers/entrepreneurs as learning centers.
Self-sufficiency targeted in fruits within 5 years and livestock & fish within 2 years through intensive farming.
Large livestock farms to be developed in each province in collaboration with government and private sector.
'Himal Samriddhi Program' in Himalayan region for sheep, goat, fruit and herb farming.
15,000 hectares of new irrigation in the next year. 318,000 hectares to get irrigation through tube wells in Terai-Madhes.
'Integrated Karnali Irrigation Special Program' in Karnali Province.
Issues of 500,000 landless, slum dwellers to be resolved. Dual land ownership issues like Guthis to be addressed.
10 new reservoirs to be constructed in Chure area and inner Madhes for drought/flood management.
'Prosperous Karnali Entrepreneurship Program' based on agriculture and forests.
Climate Change and Disaster Management
National policy and action plans on climate change mitigation, adaptation and disaster risk reduction to be implemented.
International dialogue on 'climate change, mountains and future of mankind'.
'Presidential Climate Change Management Program' to address climate impacts.
Petroleum exploration in Dailekh to be completed.
Innovation and Entrepreneurship
National innovation and startup campaign to be conducted.
National Startup Enterprise Policy to be implemented with support from all three tiers of government and private sector.
Concessional loans for 1,000 youth to start businesses.
Subsidies and t echnology assistance for 1,000 micro, small and domestic industries.
Industrial Development
Agro industrial park in Gorkha, mega food park in Sudurpaschim, food and fruit processing center in Karnali.
Special program to ensure quality, production and export of domestic alcohol.
Consumer court to protect consumer rights.
Tourism Promotion
Tourist destinations to be identified, developed and promoted through national tourist destination profiling.
Film tourism to be encouraged by attracting international film makers.
Special incentive package for operation of Pokhara and Bhairahawa international airports.
World Heritage listing to be pursued for Janaki Temple and other heritage properties.
Tourism circuits like Buddha Circuit, Shiva Circuit, Ramayana Circuit, Kirant Cultural Circuit to be promoted.
'Art and literature program for change' to be conducted.
Transport Infrastructure
Kathmandu-Tarai-Madhes Expressway to be completed by 2083.
Nagadhunga Tunnel and Gwarko Overpass to open this year.
Bardibas-Chhatha section of East-West Electric Railway to be completed.
Feasibility study of Kerung-Kathmandu Railway, investment plan for Raxaul-Kathmandu Railway.
Waterways with terminals on Sunkoshi and Narayani rivers. Provision for registering sea vessels in Nepal.
Policy for private sector to conduct land development programs.
Integrated urban infrastructure development in Lumbini, Pokhara and Janakpur as cluster cities.
Energy
National electricity capacity to reach 4,500 MW, per capita consumption 450 kWh this year.
Construction of Budhigandaki, Nalsingad reservoir projects and pre-construction of Dudhkoshi to progress.
Upper Arun, Phukot Karnali, Tamakoshi-5, Jagdulla, Chainpur Seti hydel projects to start.
Transmission lines like Hetauda-Dhalkebar-Inaruwa, Budhigandaki corridor, New Butwal-Gorakhpur to be constructed/started.
Cross-border transmission lines like Inaruwa-Purnia, Dododhara-Bareli to also start.
Concessions on electricity for irrigation, agriculture and agro-industries.
Social Sector Initiatives
'PM's Daughter Self-Reliance Program' to empower women financially. Women help desks in all police stations.
Free health insurance for all children in orphanages. Nepal's roads to be human-free by 2082.
Home healthcare services for senior citizens through local bodies.
Basic education for all children in next 5 years. 'One municipality, one smart school' concept.
Disadvantaged scholarships extended to Class 12. University students to get governance training.
Teaching internships for university students to meet shortage of science/math/English teachers.
300-bed medical college & academic program at Shahid Dashrath University of Health Sciences.
Preparations for more medical colleges across the country.
Two-shift OPD services at major hospitals like Veer, National Trauma Center, Kanti Children's.
Telemedicine services in at least one federal and two provincial hospitals each.
Health insurance coverage for all organized sectors.
Employment and Labor Reforms
'Return Entrepreneurship Program' for returnee migrant workers to start businesses.
Mandatory labor audits in government and private establishments.
National strategy to formalize informal sector workers.
Citizen service centers at local levels for integrated service delivery.
Science and Technology
Work on launching Nepal's own satellite to progress.
Standards for data center construction and operation.
IT National Knowledge Park to be established.
Technical testing of IT systems like hardware, software, networks,
cybersecurity in public bodies.
Next decade to be promoted as IT Decade for digital transformation.
At least 5,000 IT jobs to be created through IT workstations.
High-quality, competitive in-country printing for security items like stamps, licenses, passports.
Fellowships for 1,000 talented youth in various subjects.
Sports
10th National Games to be organized.
International e-sports competition using modern technology.
Construction of cricket stadiums in Mulpani, Biratnagar, Phapla in Kailali to be accelerated.
Gautam Buddha Cricket Stadium in Chitwan through federation-state-local partnership.
Upgradation and additional construction at Kirtipur Cricket Stadium.
Security Reforms
Review retirement period of police personnel. Predictable promotion system.
Open prison system to be operated in coordination with provinces.
National ID system to be integrated with all citizen services. Most services accessible via mobile.
Legal and Social Reforms
Policy and legal provisions for medicinal and commercial use of marijuana.
Self-sufficiency in defense equipment, ammunition, clothing production.
