The Fifteenth Plan

1 The Fifteenth Plan ( fiscal Year 2019/20 2023/24) Government of Nepal National Planning Commission Singhadurbar, Kathmandu Unofficial Translation The Fifteenth Plan ( fiscal Year 2019/20 2023/24) Government of Nepal National Planning Commission Singhadurbar, Kathmandu Publisher : Government of Nepal National Planning Commission Singha Durbar, Kathmandu Phone: 01-4311132, 42111133 Email: Website: Published year : 2020 March All rights reserved in : National Planning Commission Printed copy : 5,000 Kathmandu, Nepal Prime Minister Foreword Nepal implemented 14 periodic plans prior to this democratically elected government assumed office.

2 The Government formed under my leadership in 2015 had approved the approach paper to the Fourteenth Plan and initiated its implementation. The Plan completed its term last fiscal year. The Fourteenth Plan had the responsibility of reviving the economy suffering a colossal loss from the earthquake and the economic blockade. The available statistics verify that the Plan has attained its national goals, including the target for economic growth. Nepal has achieved impressive results in various sectors of development, including poverty alleviation, education, and health, infrastructure, and gender equity. While continuing to work towards enhancing the quality of these sectors, more emphasis should be given to economic and physical infrastructure sectors.

3 The economic inequality that prevails even in the 21st century remains a challenge for human civilization. Absolute poverty, climate change and its adverse effects, newly emerging infectious diseases and pandemics, and social and gender discrimination are continued to be the major challenges. Our efforts today should, therefore, be geared towards achieving prosperity through good governance and development and supporting it through the two pillars of social justice and equality in order to guarantee environmental security and people s happiness. It is against this background that the Fifteenth Plan has been prepared with the long-term vision of fulfilling the shared national aspiration for Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali by making Nepal a high-income country by 2043.

4 The Plan represents the foundation for achieving the long-term vision of increasing Nepal s per capita national income to at least USD 12,100. The Plan defines national goals and targets for prosperity and happiness and incorporates long-term objectives in terms of significant progress in the social sector, including poverty alleviation, education, health, gender equality as well as in physical infrastructure and the energy sector. During the Plan period, a foundation for economic prosperity is expected to be created through accessible modern infrastructure and intensive connectivity; development and full utilization of human capital potential; high and sustainable production and productivity; and high and equitable national income.

5 During the Plan period, people s level of experiencing happiness will increase substantially through improvements in their living standards achieved in such a way to fulfil both biological and human needs. With the long-term commitment to eliminate absolute poverty in the country, the Plan aims to limit the percentage of people under the poverty line to a single digit within the Plan period. The Plan also aims to produce healthy citizens through investing in child health and nutrition and to achieve equality and sustainability by facilitating people s access to capital and skills, minimum wages, and social security arrangements. Nepal will graduate to a developing country within the Plan period by increasing the per capita national income based on increased production and productivity, improving the quality of human assets, and reducing economic vulnerabilities.

6 The Plan is also expected to create a foundation for Nepal to graduate to an upper-middle-income country by achieving the Sustainable Development Goals well before 2030. The local, provincial, and federal governments will have to play a leading and coordinating role to achieve the national goals set by this Plan. Based on the goals and roadmaps adopted by the Plan, provincial and local governments will formulate and implement their own periodic plans. In addition to the three levels of government, we believe that all stakeholders, including the private sector, cooperatives, non-government organizations, and development partners will play a significant role in implementing the Plan.

7 Therefore, I expect everyone to lend a hand in making the nation prosperous and the people happy through fast economic growth achieved along with social justice and based on the foundation of national unity and good governance. Finally, I would like to thank the National Planning Commission, sectoral ministries, and all others involved in preparing this Plan with a long-term vision. I believe that everyone will play an active and responsible role in identifying and implementing appropriate programmes and projects towards achieving the lofty and equitable goals of the Plan. March 2020 KP Sharma Oli Government of Nepal National Planning Commission Singhadurbar, Kathmandu Prof.

8 Dr. Puspa Raj Kadel Vice-Chairperson Preface The Constitution of Nepal has envisioned to develop Nepal as an independent , advanced and socialism-oriented economy by ensuring good governance, development, and prosperity through embracing the federal democratic republican system of governance. In the course of implementing the constitution, the federation, provinces, and local levels - all three tiers of government-- have now become fully operational and been actively progressing towards achieving socio-economic development in the country. The past efforts on planned development have helped realize significant progress in the social sector while mixed results are evident in the economic, infrastructure, and other sectors.

9 The percentage of people living under absolute poverty and maternal and child mortality rates have declined. Life expectancy and enrolment rates at schools have increased, the drinking water and sanitation sector has improved, and roads, communication, and air transport infrastructure have significantly expanded. The country has reached closer to the goals set forth by the Fourteenth Plan by embarking on the path of high economic growth. Improvement signals are also apparent in production and productivity. The government has adopted the policy of equitable distribution of development returns by involving socio-economically backward communities and areas into the process of overall development through social protection.

10 It is, therefore, essential to make additional improvements in the citizens living standards by maintaining good governance, achieving rapid economic growth, enhancing productive employment, and reducing income inequality. While formulating the current Fifteenth Plan, attention has been paid on the fundamental rights, provisions including directive principles and policies of the state, the Sustainable Development Goals, global economic outlook, and commitments of the government made on different occasions. A scenario wrapped up with a roadmap of the Long-Term Vision 2043 has been developed for the next 25 years to fulfil the vision of Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali which has been so dearly championed by the current government.