KATHMANDU, June 29: Stating that the country had achieved democracy after decades of struggle, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli urged parliamentarians not to cast any doubt on the government’s commitment to safeguard it.

“This democracy wasn’t gifted. When all of us have fought for it, and how can we let it go?” Oli questioned as he addressed parliamentarians at the Federal Parliament, New Baneshwor.

The Prime Minister answered questions under the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Secretariat of National Planning Commission, Office of the President and Office of the Vice-President under the Appropriation Bill-2075. In doing so, Oli stressed the government’s commitment to end corruption, toughen up against dillydallying contractors to utilize taxpayers’ money into timely development.

“We are committed to end all forms of corruption at all fronts because this is a hurdle to our aspirations of development and prosperity,” Oli said as he agreed the budget was not sufficient for all.

Yesterday, Yubaraj Khatiwada, the Minister of Finance said that the budget was limited rightly so because of unlimited needs to fulfill. “We have limited resources but unlimited needs to fulfill. For this reason, the budget is insufficient,” Khatiwada had said.

Oli also highlighted that as federalism was a new system for all, there were bound to be lapses. “None of us are experienced on federalism and some mistakes might happen as we navigate from old system to new one.”

According to Oli these experiences would bring new learning for the future to implement federalism more efficiently and effectively. He also highlighted challenges that the country faced for the time being. These include strengthening provinces and local governments to exercise their rights while safeguarding the rights of citizens, decentralizing state facilities, translating the constitution in everyday life and ensuring good governance to materialize ‘tangible’ development in the country.

“We’ve always said that the constitution is an amendable document and we’ll amend it, however, only when it will help to fulfill our needs and support Nepal’s development and protect the country’s sovereignty,” Oli said as he cautioned, “However, we will never act under pressure from foreign forces. We’ll amend it when required.”

Both Oli and Khatiwada have consistently maintained that the budget would be used to implement the constitution. “In doing so, the government is making attempts to break away from old paths to new ones by creating effective and efficient organizational structures,” Oli said as he called parliamentarians’ concerns on the budget to be ‘readable’.  

“In the end, we need to ensure development and raise optimism for the future,” Oli said.  

 
• democracy
 
• wont
 
• let
 
• pm
 
• oli