Population policies were first referenced in the first Five Year Plan (1956-61) that Nepal adopted. However, it was only from the Third Plan (1965-70) onwards that the policies were more extensively elaborated. Until the Eighth Plan, Nepalese population policies focused primarily on family planning programs. An enhanced integrated development approach was adopted in the Eighth (1992-97) and Ninth Plans (1997-2002). A long-term plan (20-year) was envisaged with major strategies including reduction in population growth through social awareness, expansion of education and family planning programs. The current Tenth Plan (2002-2007) builds on the long-term projected targets of the Ninth Plan
