Government's top priority is good governance: Finance Minister

KATHMANDU: Finance Minister Dr Swarnim Wagle said on Tuesday that the government’s top priority is good governance and that systemic reforms are being pursued to restore public trust and reduce the cost of the state.

Speaking in the National Assembly while responding to lawmakers’ questions on the priorities and principles of the Appropriation Bill for the upcoming fiscal year, Finance Minister Wagle said corruption, dilly-dallying, middlemen and illegal takeover of institutions “have not only increased the cost of the state, but have also weakened the trust of the citizens. Therefore, this government has moved forward on the path of system reform.”

He said the Appropriation Bill is built on measures such as e-governance, digital delivery, data integration and performance contracts to change the culture of state governance, and that the bill’s principles and priorities reflect the government’s aim to embark on a long journey of good governance.

Dr Wagle said the government is operating in a “mission mode” by centring legal reforms, institutional accountability, time limits, digital tracking, direct monitoring and outcome measurement in state operations. “Special emphasis has been laid to the dividend of good governance, restructuring of the economy, integrated infrastructure, social investment and multidimensional international relations,” he added.

The minister emphasised that expanding the middle class does not mean providing facilities to a limited group, but is intended to raise the economic status of the poor, landless squatters and deprived communities. “Real social mobility is possible only by increasing the income, skills, productivity and access to opportunities of the citizens,” he said.

Linking social justice with economic development is a special priority of the government, Dr Wagle said, and he pledged that the upcoming fiscal year’s budget will be a working, implementation-oriented document.

He also noted that the private sector has been considered the leader of economic development and that partnerships with the private sector will be emphasised in constructing physical infrastructure.