In a historic first, the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers has drafted an “ambitious” national commitment framework, based on the manifestos and commitment papers unveiled by six national parties during the March 5 parliamentary elections.

The office has circulated the draft to political parties and sought feedback within ten days. Their inputs will be included in national policies and programmes, the budget, and roadmap agendas for the upcoming fiscal year 2082-83 (2026-027) and beyond.

“The implementation of this national commitment will be included in the national programs and budget through relevant ministries and agencies. The successful implementation and coordination of this commitment will be overseen by the secretary at the Prime Minister and the Office of the Council of Ministers,” the draft reads.

The 22-page draft covers 17 different sectors. Under the subtitle ‘Stability in the economic sector and reform’, the government has proposed establishing a national agenda for employment generation, inclusive economic growth, and sustainable economic stability, along with national and regional policies and their implementation.

“The goal is to make Nepal a respected middle-income country. Over the next five years, the targeted economic growth rate will be achieved, with per capita income reaching $3,000 and total GDP reaching $100 billion,” reads the draft.

The government also aims to reduce economic and social inequalities. It has proposed cutting the poverty rate by 10 percent over the next five years and removing Nepal from the Financial Action Task Force’s grey list by ensuring financial transparency, combating money laundering, aligning with international standards, and implementing effective reforms. “A time-bound action plan will be prepared to remove Nepal from the grey list of countries,” the draft added.

In the agricultural sector, measures will be taken to support income replacement through trade agreements with India and increase the production of agricultural products that can be produced within Nepal. Policy, legal and customs reforms will be implemented to achieve self-reliance, according to the draft.

Social security benefits, including pensions, as well as subsidies, loans and services, will be provided based on contributions, with eligibility verified through personal identification and pension documents, the draft says.

“In collaboration with the provincial and local governments, an additional 300,000 hectares of agricultural land will be irrigated over the next five years, and national pride irrigation projects will be completed on time.”

In the tourism and civil aviation sector, the government has proposed unbundling the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal into a service provider and a semi-autonomous regulatory body to strengthen air safety.

The Pokhara and Bhairahawa international airports will be made fully operational, enabling flights from major cities worldwide, says the draft, adding, tourism development, market promotion, air services, internal security, and infrastructure will be prioritised to enhance Nepal’s unique global image.

In the energy sector, the goal of achieving 30,000 megawatts of electricity generation capacity will be pursued and the government will provide funding from the Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Fund to prioritise large-scale reservoir-based and semi-reservoir projects like the Budhi Gandaki and Upper Tamakoshi projects.

“Through energy diplomacy, bilateral and regional cooperation will be strengthened, and Nepal will engage in energy trade with India and Bangladesh.”

The government also stated that an investment-friendly mining policy and laws will be developed, based on public-private partnership models. A regulatory authority will be set up to oversee extraction, production, supply, and use of raw materials.

In the infrastructure sector, projects will be implemented through a centralised management model (mission mode), according to the draft document.

“For national pride projects, time-bound action plans will be prepared and implemented. Major infrastructure such as highways, waterways, and international airports will be integrated into a unified transport system. The Mahendra Highway will be upgraded to meet international highway standards within three years.”

Additionally, the government aims to pursue transportation and trade agreements with India and China, using maritime ports to improve access to sea routes.

Key connectivity projects, including road and railway links, will be expedited, according to the draft.

On job creation, the draft document stated that employment will be made a permanent feature rather than temporary, aiming to generate 1.5 million jobs within five years and skills such as data science, artificial intelligence, and cyber security will be incorporated into educational curricula.

The knowledge, skills, and experience of Nepali nationals abroad will be utilised as "brain gain" for the country, and over the next two decades, big investments will be made to improve the quality, access, and competitiveness of education, the document says.

Four days a week, education will focus on enhancing skills in production, innovation, entrepreneurship, sports, health, arts, and culture, with an emphasis on practical labor skills and national development activities, reads the draft.

Health infrastructure at the federal, provincial, and local levels will be renovated, and the training of health workers, provision of equipment, construction of buildings, and service delivery will be upgraded and by the year 2088 (2031 AD), the health budget will reach 8 percent of the total national budget, reads the draft.

The national climate change strategy will be implemented, and Nepal will pursue high-level diplomacy to secure grants and compensation from global climate funds, according to the document.

As per the commitment document, the assets of individuals holding public office since 1991 will be audited transparently in accordance with the law.

The government aims to eliminate political party affiliations among employees in state institutions and end party-based trade unions in the civil service.

The number of federal ministries will remain at 17.

“The National Planning Commission will be restructured into a centralised think tank for policy analysis and monitoring, while policy research institutions will also be reorganised. A high-level administrative restructuring commission will be formed to review the structure. Over the next five years, 25% of the civil service will be composed of new and competent human resources.”

The information technology sector will be declared a national strategic industry, and an IT Promotion Board will be established, reads the draft adding that the digital economy will be developed as a key sector for economic growth, high productivity, and the creation of sustainable employment.

“Over the next five years, Nepal will transform into a country known for artificial intelligence and computational technology. Data centers, AI computing, and digital services will be developed as domestic industries in Nepal, and they will be linked with the global digital economy,” says the draft.

On social sector reform, the state will acknowledge historic injustices and pursue legal and institutional reforms to end structural discrimination, as per the draft.

The government will pursue a balanced and dynamic diplomacy, and introduce a 'performance audit' system for measuring the effectiveness of strategies and results.

“Nepal will position itself as a neutral, independent, and non-aligned country within the international community, advocating for peace and stability.”

The draft says military alliances, arms races, and war hinder peace, therefore, Nepal will adopt a policy of neutrality, focusing on fairness and balanced cooperation. “The central concept of Nepal's diplomacy will be ‘Nepal First, Nepali First.’"

To ensure the rights of the Nepali Diaspora, a constitutional and legal framework will be established to facilitate the citizenship process, property rights, and other related matters for non-resident Nepalis.

“Special provisions will be made to encourage non-resident Nepalis to invest in key sectors such as infrastructure, sustainable development, and innovative industries. A sovereign Diaspora bond will be issued to attract investments in national development and industrial sectors."

The draft further says sports will be developed as the backbone of national unity, human development, national pride, and economic prosperity. Incomplete sports facilities will be completed on time, and state-of-the-art and fully equipped sports infrastructure will be established in all provinces, reads the draft, adding that political interference in sports administration will be eliminated.

Also, the government aims to adopt a comprehensive security policy to address climate-related risks, and enhance early warning systems, identification of flood-prone and disaster-vulnerable regions, and coordinated and integrated relocation efforts.

It also seeks stronger regulation and management of the cooperative and microfinance sectors to ensure financial stability.