Vice Chairman of the National Planning Commission (NPC), Dr Min Bahadur Shrestha, has said that the goals and programmes of the 16th Plan have been determined by identifying the needs of the country.

Addressing the 'Harnessing Green Finance for Sustainable Investment' session held on the second day of the Third Investment Summit here today, he said that equal priority has been given to the development and expansion of the energy sector, which is the main basis of economic prosperity. He said that among the various possible areas of investment, the energy sector is a special priority of the government and the programme has been decided accordingly.

Stating that agriculture is one of the major sectors in which investment has to be expanded and it is necessary to modernize it, he stressed the need to manage the necessary resources and tools for a modern farming system. Informing that the government has set a programme with the idea of protecting the forest area in multiple ways and using it for economic gain, the NPC Vice Chairman presented the fact that forests are the basis of prosperity.

While discussing the area of investment, Vice Chairman Shrestha also mentioned the drinking water sector. He called upon foreign investors to invest in harnessing Nepal's water, suggesting that glacier water can be processed and sold. He emphasized that water is also an exportable commodity.

Vice Chairman Shrestha said that based on the progress Nepal has made in the field of environmental protection, it should get more concessions for its contribution to green finance and carbon reduction. He urged the people to imbibe the idea that not only will Nepal benefit from the worthwhile efforts made by it for sustainable development, but the whole world will be able to enjoy the benefits. It is for the benefit of the whole Earth.

In the session, Finance Secretary Madhu Kumar Marasini, Vice President of Nepal Industry Association Ashish Garg and others also spoke on the green economy and its dimensions.