‘White paper’ real picture of nation’s economy: Finance Minister

KATHMANDU, April 3: Finance Minister Dr Yubraj Khatiwada has claimed the country’s real economic picture has been presented in the white paper.

Taking time from the Speaker, at a meeting of the House of Representatives Tuesday, he said the Finance Ministry had prepared the white paper without targeting any particular party, and the document focused on the review of the existing situation.

The nation’s treasury is cannot be accessed simply through a single digit. The entire economic and development indicators should be taken into consideration while judging the country’s economic status,” said Minister Khatiwada.

“The nation’s treasure is almost empty. Thus, we must be careful while selecting our priorities. The budgets are getting frozen but the expenses are increasing,” he added.

He further that the government is aware of not letting Sate property go in the individual’s ownership, but it does not mean that it wants to discourage privatization or promote closed economy.

“The world economy proves that absolute liberalization can marginalize us and we are in the mood of moving ahead by utilizing global open economy into the interests of the nation,” he added.

The government investment in the areas of education, health and drinking water has started paying back the government and this has also been mentioned in the white paper, according to him.

The government last Friday issued the white paper on nation’s economy, which stated that the treasury was almost empty.

Earlier, the lawmakers of Nepali Congress termed the ‘white paper’ as ‘exaggeration’ and ‘unrealistic’, and issued intending to put unnecessary blame to Nepal Congress.