Pradip Paudel unveils roadmap to shift Nepal to production‑oriented economy

KATHMANDU: Pradip Paudel, General Secretary of Nepali Congress, has unveiled an economic roadmap to shift Nepal from a culture of distribution to a production‑oriented economy. The announcement follows recent youth‑led protests and signals a policy shift within the party.

The plan will be implemented through legislative and administrative reforms and proposes a universal safety floor to protect the vulnerable while promoting an open market that rewards individual success, according to Paudel.

Paudel said, "Socialism is not the distribution of poverty; to imagine socialism without capital formation and asset accumulation is to ultimately distribute nothing but scarcity."

To reduce bureaucratic delays, the roadmap calls for a Supreme Umbrella Act to bypass administrative paralysis and to prioritise facilitation over regulation.

The plan emphasises the digital economy and proposes shifting from exporting manual labour to exporting knowledge by turning universities into research and innovation hubs and supporting startups.

On the international front, Paudel envisions Nepal as a geo‑economic bridge between India and China, seeking technology transfer, foreign investment and greater engagement with the Nepali diaspora.

The roadmap pledges to systemic reform, transparency and results to foster innovation and strengthen social security for the most vulnerable.