December 14: Nepal has made minimal progress in Human Development Index, according to the Human  Development Report 2020 prepared by the United Nations Development Programme.

The report says Nepal still has to make some improvements upgrade its status as a developing nation.

The report unveiled by the UNDP on Sunday (December 13) states that Nepal has made some progress in HDI during 2019. According to the report, Nepal improved its ranking in the HDI by one step.

Nepal currently lies in the mid-category among countries in terms of human development and needs to fulfill two criteria to upgrade its status from least developed country to developing country by 2022. The country needs to meet the requirement of per capital income, human capital index and financial risk index to upgrade its status. Except the per capital income, Nepal is likely to fulfill all other criteria by 2022.

The report unveiled jointly by Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel and Vice Chairman of the National Planning Commission Dr Pushpa Raj Kandel states that Nepal’s HDI Value during 2019 was 0.587. The HDI Value of Nepal in 2018 was 0.579.

Compared to 2018, Nepal made progress in education standard in 2019 although the average income and average age of Nepalis remained constant. This factor contributed in a marginal rise in Nepal’s HDI. Nepal’ cannot progress into a developing nation unless there is improvement in per capita income.

According to the Human Development Report 2020, the average age of Nepalis is 70.5 years. Nepal is ahead of Pakistan and Afghanistan in South Asia in terms of HDI.

The report also states that there is a stark difference in human development among urban areas and rural areas of Nepal.

The report points out to infrastructural and institutional hurdles, policies adopted by the country and other factors as major challenges for human development of Nepal. It suggests improving the standard of health and education as well as people’s reach to health facilities and educational institutions.

“Lack of sufficient health infrastructure and disruption in medical supplies pose further risk to people fighting against various diseases,” states the report adding, “Hundreds of thousands of students have been deprived of studying opportunity due to closure of schools.”

The report also suggests short-term, medium-term and long-term relief packages and economic revitalization of the country. Unveiling the report, Finance Minister Poudel said that the government will take into consideration the suggestions given by the report.