The two-day meeting of National Development Council (NDC) ended on Monday by approving the approach paper of the interim plan.

The three-year interim plan focuses on reconstruction, rehabilitation and infrastructure development, among others.

The NDC met approved the approach paper of the interim plan, which aims to invest Rs 587 billion in the next three years. The interim plan period starts with the upcoming budget.

Ministers, parliamentarians, experts, businessmen and civil society members, appointed as members of the recently formed NDC, had attended the two-day meeting.

The government aims to achieve a 5.5 percent growth rate during the plan period and reduce the poverty level to 24 percent

At the NDC meeting on Monday, Finance Minister Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat said that Nepal must move quickly to attain rapid economic growth at par with its neighbours.

“The NDC meeting has given a message that now the development will move forward based on understanding,” said Dr. Jagadish Chandra Pokharel, vice chairperson of National Planning Commission (NPC).

Meanwhile, the Maoists had presented a separate 16-point note stating their differences with the interim plan paper. Dr. Pokharel downplayed the dissenting note saying that they were mostly related with political and ideological aspects.