When is the high-level commission on recommendations for economic change going to be established?

The administration is debating the panel's establishment three months after it was announced that a high-level commission would make recommendations for the next stage of economic reform.

A new phase of the economic reform program will be launched to achieve high rates of economic growth and integrated economic corridor development, expansion of the digital economy and green economy based on the feasibility analysis of the national economy, according to the budget presented by the previous government on May 15. A high-level commission for suggestions on economic reform will be established to provide recommendations in this area, according to the budget.

Bishnu Paudel, the deputy prime minister and minister of finance, has also stated time and time again that a committee to propose high-level economic reforms will be established in order to strengthen the nation's economy as a whole. Officials from the government have stated that a decision has not yet been made about the commission's formation.

"No progress has been made regarding the commission, other than developing a general concept," a senior Ministry of Finance official stated. "It may take a few more days to make a decision." Another joint secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Mahesh Bhattarai, stated that the conversation has advanced to include specialists from all disciplines in the system. "Talks have advanced to include experts and representatives of the private sector in the high-level commission," he informed the Economic Campaign. The Federation of Nepal Chamber of Commerce and Industry has long demanded of the government the establishment of a high-level system that involves the private sector in order to tackle current issues, particularly those related to the economy. The government's statement that a mechanism of that kind will be included in the budget was warmly received by the federation.

"Since the morale of all sectors, from the common man to the industrialists, has fallen and the economy as a whole has weakened, it has been asked to create such a mechanism to resolve it," stated Hemraj Dhakal, vice president of the Federation. He asserts that the creation of such a mechanism would be impossible without the involvement of the corporate sector. In the budget, the then-finance minister, Barshman Pun, announced the creation of a commission with the goal of establishing a framework and promoting economic activity.

A high-level commission has been established, according to former finance minister Barshman Pun, to identify possible areas for the nation to experience rapid economic growth and to gather recommendations for advancing the economic reform program of the new stage. It is regrettable, however, that the current government is delaying the establishment of this mechanism. Pun told the Economic Campaign, "The previous government was trying to move the economy in a new direction and boost the morale of the private sector." Pun stated that the commission would be funded by the budget in order to promote the digital economy and involve the younger generation in economic policy.