Sudurpashchim Province Faces Challenges in Finalizing Second Five-Year Development Plan

Dhangadhi. The Sudurpashchim provincial government is currently busy finalizing the blueprint for its second five-year plan. Naturally, there is growing curiosity about whether this second five-year plan will truly transform the face of Sudurpashchim.

According to statistics, the poverty rate in Sudurpashchim has increased by 10 percent. The rise in the population living below the poverty line poses a challenge for the provincial government. Therefore, stakeholders emphasize that the second five-year plan must not merely be a government document but a concrete strategy for poverty alleviation.

For the next five years, the Provincial Policy and Planning Commission has based its plan on four main pillars. The first priority is to develop a value chain that connects agriculture, tourism, and industry. The goal is for farmers to find markets for their produce and for tourists climbing the mountains to consume products from the industries of the Terai.

Similarly, development has historically been viewed only as road construction. The new plan will invest in transportation, irrigation, and energy to bridge the geographical distance between the hills and the Terai.

The commission stated that the strategy includes integrating technology from government services to education and bringing urban and rural areas closer through digital networks.

Furthermore, the impact of climate change is becoming increasingly evident in Sudurpashchim. Therefore, emphasis will be placed on building resilient physical infrastructure that can protect the environment and withstand disasters.

No matter how well-crafted a plan is, the implementation aspect has always remained weak. According to local resident Bhim Chaudhary from Kailali, plans have been limited to paper only.

‘The five-year plans remained limited to paper; how much was actually implemented in practice? Provincial pride projects have been abandoned for years, and the budget is scattered elsewhere,’ said Chaudhary.

This time, the Policy and Planning Commission has stated that it is trying to correct past mistakes. According to commission member Dr. Hira Chand, this plan was not created solely by sitting in a room. He noted that discussions have been intensified to incorporate genuine suggestions received from the local level.

‘Development is not possible unless local needs and provincial priorities align, which is why we have placed local levels in a decisive role,’ he said.

The second five-year plan has set an ambitious goal to make Sudurpashchim self-reliant and reduce the 10 percent increase in poverty. However, provincial pride projects are failing to gain momentum. Many complain that the budget is not being utilized effectively. Local resident Dhauli Dhami from Kanchanpur stated that such plans have not had any significant positive impact on Sudurpashchim.

‘There were no significant achievements from the first five-year plan; even now, electricity has not reached many places, and farmers are unable to get fertilizer and markets. There is a crowd of people going to India in search of employment,’ she said.

Dhami made it clear that the public needs services, facilities, and employment. She argued that poverty will not be reduced simply by creating plans on sheets of paper.