THree Year Interim Plan meets most MDGs

The Three Year Interim Plan (2007-2010) has mixed result but most of Millennium Development Goal's (MDGs) are supposed to be met, according to the National Planning Commission (NPC).

As per the MDGs, the poverty level should come down to 21 per cent by the end of 2015 but the target could be exceeded as the poverty level seems to go down to 18 per cent, hoped the national think-tank. The poverty level was targetted to bring down to 21 per cent but it has come down to 25.4 per cent.

"Though, some of the sub indicators could not be met."

The TYIP -- that had targetted a growth of 5.5 per cent -- has been allocated a budget of Rs 511 billion, though the average growth rate has come to 4.4 per cent.

Most of the sectors have underperformed. The growth target of agriculture was 3.9 per cent but it registered only 3.3 per cent, whereas the non-agriculture sector had a growth target of 6.4 per cent, but it also came down to 5.1 per cent.

Dr Puskar Bajracharya, member of NPC said that the think-tank has now thought of making effective monitoring as there have been a lots of complaints over the implementation of the programmes.

Meanwhile, The NPC is holding Development Council meeting on May 23-24 to prepare Approach Paper for the next three-year interim plan.

"The approach paper will concentrate on employment generation," Bajracharya said adding that the next three year interim plan (2010-2013) has focused on employment generation.

The government is allocating Rs 1,018 billion for the next three year interim plan (2010-2013) -- the continuation of the present three year interim plan (2007-2010). The last three year interim plan (2007-2010) was allocated Rs 511 billion.

The new three year interim plan is the continuation of the running three year interim plan with some strategic changes.

Last three year interim plan was the second such periodic plan. The first such three-year interim plan was implemented in 1962 after the demise of democracy and introduction of the party-less Panchayat system.

The three year interim plan (2007-2010) gave special emphasis to relief, reconstruction and reintegration, Creation and Expansion of employment opportunities and to increase pro-poor and broad-based economic growth.

The Rs 511 billion last three year plan had also planned to reduce poverty to 15 per cent by 2015 from 31 per cent. "We can achieve the target of poverty reduction," he said.

Socio-economic change, employment based economic growth, physical structure appropriate to federalism and inclusive economic growth are some of the strategy in the next three-year interim programme apart from emphasis on agriculture, social and infrastructure development, development of tourism and service sectors. This plan has also focused on joint investment from public and private sector