KATHMANDU, March 9: Finance Minister Janardan Sharma has said that the country will make a leap forward if it can make the local level self-reliant.

During a meeting with officials of the National Natural Resources and Fiscal Commission at the Ministry of Finance on Tuesday, Minister Sharma said that the local governments should be encouraged to develop the country by improving federalism. "There is no alternative to making the local level self-reliant," he said. "The country will move forward if the local level is made self-reliant in all sectors including production, private sector, employment and natural resources."

He suggested that if there are any anomalies at the local level, they should be rectified. “There may be some negative things at the local level. But, a lot of positive work is being done at the local level,” he said.

The members including the Chairman of the Commission, Balananda Poudel made a presentation on 'Intergovernmental Financial Relations' to help in the preparation of the budget for the coming Fiscal Year 2079/80. The presentation is incomplete and Finance Minister Sharma has instructed the authorities to submit suggestions in a more subtle way. He said that the federal system should work without any change in the existing structure and focus on the development of the country.

 
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