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KATHMANDU: Stakeholders and the representatives of the local governments have suggested that the National Planning Commission should prepare the 16th five-year plan by giving top priority to Karnali Province.
The participants said so during a two-day event organised by the NPC in Surkher on December 13 and 14 to collect feedback for the 16th five-year plan.
The representatives of the local government from Karnali Province have asked the NPC to make special focus on Karnali Province adding that the province has lagged on several indicators.
On the occasion, Bheri Ganga Municipality Mayor Yagya Prasad Dhakal said the NPC should consider Karnali Province's tourism potential and include it in the 16th periodic plan with top importance.
The government's plans and policies should promote medicinal herbs and local crops of Karnali and help establish the medicinal processing industries, Mayor Dhakal added.
The local government representatives further suggested that the NPC should come up with plans to retain youths in the country adding that the number of youths leaving the country for foreign jobs has risen rapidly in recent years.
NPC Vice-Chairman Min Bahadur Shrestha, NPC Secretariat's Secretary Toya Narayan Gyawali and other officials were present at the event organised to collect feedback from the local governments.
