Tenzin Namgay/ Thimphu It would be a “blunder” to discontinue the five-year plans (FYP) as doing so will lead to “politicized planning”, according to the opposition party, Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT). Taking the cue from the foreign minister’s recent public mention about the issue, the DPT said the government is adamant on discontinuing the time-tested development planning tradition of preparing a draft Five-Year Plan. This abrupt decision will have huge implications, seriously disrupting the socio-economic development and overall governance of the country. “The Opposition Party is deeply concerned about it,” stated a news release from the party. Preparing five-year plans, the opposition party said, is critical to inclusive, equitable and balanced outcomes of socio-economic development of the country. “Discontinuing it will lead to highly arbitrary and politicized planning and resource allocation, undermining the functions of different institutions of governance, local governments, for example,” according to a news release from the party. “A draft plan will be critical to both domestic and external resource planning and mobilization too,” the news release continued. “Thus, it will be a big blunder on the part of the present government to do away with the practice of preparing a draft Five-Year Plan.” The opposition party went on to say that a draft plan provides continuity from one plan to the next, and forms an important basis for an elected government to build its five-year development plans and programmes in line with the overarching national vision and goals. According to the opposition party, the immediate impact of the absence of a draft Five-Year Plan will include: affecting equity in planning and resource allocation, regional balanced development, independence of local governments and professionalism of civil service, among others. The opposition party urged the government to immediately advise the Gross National Happiness Commission Secretariat to initiate drafting the next FYP so to ensure professional, seamless and progressive planning and development. With just two years left to end the present plan and the tenure of the present Government, it would be timely to start the preparatory works.