KATHMANDU, March 3: The National Planning Commission's (NPC), after its full- fledged meeting with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, has released the 15th five-year plan.

According to Pushpa Raj Kandel, vice chairman of NPC, the concept paper of the 15th five-year plan was approved last year. 

The 15th five-year plan aims to increase the per capita income to $ 1,585. Earlier, in the 14th five-year plan, the commission had expected the per capita income of $ 1,047. In 25 years, the commission targets to increase the per capita income to $ 12,100. 

The government is close to achieve the goals set in the 14th periodic plan. Earlier, the NPC had set a target to achieve a minimum average economic growth to 9.4% per annum in the next five years. 

As per the draft of the 15th periodic plan, it has set a target to achieve a minimum average economic growth up to 10.1% per annum in the next five years.

Similarly, the current poverty rate of Nepal is 18.70% and it has set a target to reduce the poverty rate to 9%. Likewise, the literacy rate of Nepal is around 70% and the 15th periodic plan aims to increase the literacy rate to 99%. 

The periodic plan has set a target to achieve an average growth of 5.6% per annum in the agricultural sector in the next five years; in the industrial sector, it has set a target to achieve an average growth of 17.1% per annum in the next five years and in the service sector, the 15th periodic plan has set a target to achieve an average growth of 9.9% per annum. 

The meeting discussed on the topic to develop human resources, create employment opportunities, decrease poverty rate, accelerate development in various works of infrastructure and focus on essential things like health, education, environment , food and social security. 

Amid all the targets, there is a doubt that the commission is able to complete all the targets on time. However, Pushpa Raj Kandel, vice chairman of NPC is optimistic that the targets can be achieved on time with the support from all stakeholders. “We need to create suitable environment and support all the targets to complete it within the deadline. There are various factors which will determine on completion of these targets but the main thing is that we need to be positive towards our work.

 
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