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15 Aug, 2019

The 57th governing board of trustees meeting of NTNC was held at its central office in Khumaltar, Lalitpur yesterday on August 14, 2019. Three key agendas going into the meeting included: the approval of the proposed NTNC-budget for the new fiscal year 2019-20 (commencing recently from July 17), the performance review from the previous fiscal year, and the board's endorsement of the NTNC Strategic Plan 2019-23.

Chaired by Hon. Shakti Bahadur Basnet, Minister for Forests and Environment (MOFE), who is also Chairman of NTNC, the meeting was attended by board members—Dr. Bishwa Nath Oli, Secretary MOFE; Mr. Ram Raj Regmi; Dr. Giri Raj Tripathi; Mr. Saral Sahayatri Paudel; Mr. Shambu Dangal; Ms. Meena Kumari Neupane; Ms. Swati Thapa and Mr. Yajna Nath Dahal, Member Secretary NTNC. Also attending the meeting were NTNC’s Executive Directors Dr. Siddhartha Bajra Bajracharya and Mr. Deepak Kumar Singh, and Programme Director Ms. Sarita Gyawali.

Following closed deliberations and discussions, the board has unanimously approved the total budget proposed for the new fiscal year 2019-20 amounting to NPR 978 million. This will be allocated across all of NTNC's working areas, through its new thematic areas as envisioned by the new NTNC Strategic Plan 2019-23. Endorsement of the five-year plan will serve as a guiding document for all of NTNC's future initiatives, establishing a clear way forward for strategic direction and purpose, taking stock of actions and outcomes it envisions to achieve. Approval of the budget will ensure that NTNC's planned programmes and activities can begin with the timely implementation of its set goals and targets. 

Predominantly the major focus during this fiscal year are meant to address the country's twin priorities for nature conservation together with prosperity which is in line with NTNC's redefined vision for "a prosperous country where development flourishes by valuing, respecting and conserving nature." This means that besides the primary task of working in the frontlines for the success of the country's key conservation issues, NTNC will ensure that benefits of healthy biodiversity, resilient ecosystems and habitats, and protected area management outcomes will have lasting contributions to the prosperity and development indicators of the nation. 

Pointing to the in-depth knowhow and unique capacity of NTNC to manage and implement on-the-ground conservation and community initiatives, the board has maintained full commitment to further strengthen science, research and innovation capacity. Merits of conservation through nature-based tourism opportunities, as proven solutions for strengthening the cause and case for conservation as well as local communities, together with tapping into the power of green enterprises and sustainable businesses to promote innovation and identity, skills and entrepreneurship, along with increasing focus toward urban environment solutions, are other areas that NTNC has been directed by the board to make a bigger difference toward.
 

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