Need to embrace sweeping reforms: PM Dahal

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said his focus is on strengthening public and private cooperation, ending social anomalies, and addressing youths' problems.

Addressing a Conference on 'Way Forward for Nepali Economy-II' and SEJON Awards 2079 here Sunday, the PM said the government has advanced the journey to good governance and prosperity. Success to this end is the most imperative, he underscored.

The PM said that we now have to embrace sweeping reforms as aspirations for the country’s economic development and prosperity would not be achieved traditionally. PM Dahal also urged the economists to materialize the commitment to leading the nation towards social justice, good governance, and prosperity as envisaged by the constitution for a socialism-oriented economy.

Sharing that he was working with firm willpower to fulfill the commitment made to the country and people, PM Dahal shared that positive results would be achieved only if commitments were made to bring about changes in the status quo. He further viewed the private, public, and cooperative sectors' coordination as emphasized. A socialism-oriented economy is mentioned in the constitution to address the concerns for social justice, PM Dahal reminded.

Efforts were made to empower the people by establishing three layers of government, according to the PM. He, however, said the people are obliged to become meek as the right was centered on a handful of people.

On the occasion, the PM said that bills for the implementation of federalism are in top priority and attempts to usurp citizens’ rights would be unfortunate.

The government has accorded priority to the structural changes, the PM said, adding that a restructuring initiative was launched to end overstaffing, restructure bureaucracy and scrap the unnecessary organizations and begin the civil servants’ adjustment.

Saying that agriculture is an equal priority of the country, the PM mentioned that the development of agriculture-based industries and the promotion of needed technology, knowledge, and skills are required for this to happen. The PM was of the view that there have been some signs of reforms in the country’s economy in the last two months but they are not long-lasting.

However, the PM said that the structures, procedures, exercises, and mentalities developed out of ill governance in the long past need some time to change.

In his remarks, the PM said that the government was working seriously to bring the informal economy into the formal system, control smuggling, and illegal transaction, and curb revenue leakage.

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