The second three-year interim plan was introduced after the Tenth Five-Year Plan came to an end in July 2007. The plan has put emphasis on increasing public expenditure to generate employment and promoting peace building, reconstruction, rehabilitation, reintegration, inclusion, and revitalization of the economy.
"Many of the goals envisaged by the interim plan have not been accomplished," said Dr Jagdish Chandra Pokharel, an economist and former vice chairman of National Planning Commission, addressing an interaction organized by Nepal Intellectuals Council in Kathmandu on Friday. "The government should critically review the performance so far and devise strategies to meet the targets."
He, however, recommended that the government not give additional budget to sectors that were unable to utilize the budget allocated in the current fiscal year. "The government should ask why they failed to utilize the budget and should stop topping up funds on those projects," he said, adding inability to utilize the money translates into lowered employment opportunities.
Professor Madan Dahal, the president of Nepal Economists Association, also suggested that the government set its priority based on the interim plan and not spend time discussing about formulating long-term policies and plans.
"The aspirations of people, especially after the success of the uprising of April 2006, are high. And they are growing impatient as they are not seeing any results. They want immediate relief and the government´s focus should be on meeting their expectations," he said adding that the government should also take into consideration the common minimum program, global economic slowdown and India´s budget, while formulating the upcoming budget.
Professor Bishwamber Pyakuryal deemed that the budget of Rs 260 billion would be appropriate for the next fiscal year, of which, Rs 140 billion should go for current expenditure and Rs 95 for capital expenditure.
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