Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said the criticisms that the budget tabled by government on Saturday was of 'huge size' and 'distributive' are baseless.

Speaking at the parliamentary party meeting of the CPN-UML at its Parliamentary Party office in New Baneswor on Sunday, PM Oli said the comments were just a part of the trend that an opposition party has to express disagreement over the ruling party's act. Oli, who is also chairman and PP leader of UML, challenged the opposition parties to come up with evidence to show where and how the budget was distributive.

He said the budget is oriented towards development of the country, advancement of the people and socialism as envisaged in the new constitution. "The budget comprises clear policy and approach in taking the country ahead, and with the goal of enforcement", he said.

On remarks from various quarters on the size of the budget unveiled on Saturday, the PM said that the size of the budget is smaller by four percent as compared to previous one.

He also said that the government has allocated budget in various sectors with due responsibility for the development of the country. The Prime Minister said the principles of the budget advocate development and prosperity of the country. "Implementation of the budget will show what ways should be adopted to develop a country," he said.

Responding to criticism of the budget by various quarters, Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel said that the criticism was made on the ground that the government has brought a very popular budget, but not the fact that they disliked it.

He defended the budget, saying that it has accorded high-priority to the construction of federal structures, local elections, agriculture and energy.

CPN-UML chief whip Bhanu Bhakta Dhakal termed the budget as good and urged all lawmakers to support it, and lend support to pass it.

He said that a good message would be spread if a campaign regarding good aspect of government's policies and programmes would be launched across the nation.

Vice-Chairman of the National Planning Commission, Yubraj Khatiwada, said that attention was paid in budget allocation to the production sector including agriculture, with a targeted economic growth rate of 6.50 to upgrade the country from a least developed to a developing country.

Stating that it was not right to criticise over the size of budget as it was allocated on the basis of parliamentarians, Khatiwada said that parliamentarians would defend the budget in the parliament and they would defend it outside of the parliament as revenue would sustain it.

Likewise, NPC member Suchitra Shakya suggested that the budget should be taken for intellectual discussion across the nation.

Some of the parliamentarians argued that budget was only allocated for most projects in PM's home town in Jhapa, and Finance Minister's home town  in Rupandehi. RSS