National Planning Commission Vice-Chairman Yubaraj Khatiwada has resigned following the change in government. The erstwhile KP Sharma Oli administration had appointed the

former central bank governor as the vice-chairman of the central planning body on Nov 4, 2015.

“I sent the resignation letter on Sunday to be effective from Monday,” said Khatiwada. “I resigned after the change in government.” There is a tradition of the vice-chairman quitting when a new administration takes over.

During his tenure, Khatiwada said the government, in coordination with the NPC, introduced polices to increase the country’s self-reliance in food and energy, unveiled a new budget based on the approach paper of the 14th plan, prepared a document on sustainable development goals (SDGs) for Nepal and held an international conference on them.

Khatiwada is considered to be the key architect behind the budget for the current fiscal year. Under his leadership, the NPC had also operated as the de facto reconstruction authority before it was formed to conduct the reconstruction programme.

According to a senior NPC official, Khatiwada had taken a leave of absence from the NPC on Friday.