Finance Minister Yubaraj Khatiwada tabled a proposal in the meeting of the House of Representatives, the lower house of the Federal Parliament, today, seeking the house initiate discussions on the principles and priorities of the Appropriation Bill for the Fiscal Year 2018/19 (except the tax proposal).

On the occasion, the Finance Minister said that implementing the fundamental rights of the citizens as enshrined in the constitution and achieving rapid economic development was the government’s main priority.

“The coming policies and programmes of the government would be focused on attaining the Sustainable Development Goals. Economic prosperity would be achieved by alleviating poverty,” he said, outlining the government’s economic priorities.

He said clean drinking water, access to basic health services, everyone’s association with health insurance, elimination of illiteracy, making the public education more effective, employment generation, new working opportunities, enhancement of the capacity of the labourers and tourism development were prioritised in the fiscal year 2018/19.

The Finance Minister also said that post-earthquake reconstruction would be high in priority and the scope of social security would be expanded.