The House of Representatives on Sunday endorsed the government’s policies and programmes for the fiscal year 2017-18 unanimously.

The motion to pass the policies and programmes was tabled at the House meeting for decision after Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli responded to lawmakers’ concerns over the plans.

President Bidya Devi Bhandari presented the policies and programmes in the federal parliament on May 21. A deliberation on the document lasted four days.

Except for the amendment proposals tabled by Nepali Congress lawmaker Minendra Rijal and Anil Kumar Jha of the Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal all other suggestions were taken back. Ultimately, the two proposals were rejected by a majority of lawmakers.

The opposition NC chose to stay silent when Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara asked lawmakers to voice their approval or disapproval for the House decision.

“Since no voice was heard against the government’s policies and programmes, it has been endorsed unanimously,” Mahara announced.

Addressing the House earlier, PM Oli said the government was setting up measures to honour the rights and freedoms of the people and to create ground for the people to exercise their civil liberties.

Responding to MPs’ concerns, Oli said the policies and programmes of the government supported the constitutional characters of multi-party system, periodic election, fundamental rights, respect for dissent, separation of power and independent judiciary.

“The policies and programmes say that the country achieves prosperity through development and efficient governance,” Oli said. During his two-hour speech in Parliament, the PM defended the policies and programmes while saying that the ideas were “ambitious” but worth implementing. “The policies and programmes represent popular ambitions,” the PM clarified.

On the demand for constitution amendment, Oli said the dynamic document could be amended as per the need and relevance. The National Assembly also passed the policies and programmes with a majority.