Finance Minister Professor Biman Prasad.

Finance Minister Professor Biman Prasad says that while it is important for the national development plan to be realistic and backed with resources, it should not overpromise or raise expectations higher than what it can actually deliver.

Prasad highlighted this as the Ministry is currently formulating the new three, five, and 20-year National Development Plan, and public consultations are underway.

Head of the Strategic Office, Kamal Gounder, also emphasizes that an NDP has to be people-centred and inclusive.

“Most of the issues that are coming out of consultations are all about basic infrastructure, access to roads, access to water, drainage issues, as well as communications issues, etc.”

Gounder adds that a plan must set out its development priorities.

“This plan is basically coming out to know what the priorities of the government are and to ensure that we plan properly, the resources for the government are properly allocated according to where the needs are.”

Gounder adds that the plan must be able to demonstrate how these different segments of society benefit from it.

He says that in this context, the current nationwide consultative process that is being undertaken by the Coalition Government is absolutely important.