May 31: Finance Minister Janardan Sharma has claimed that the budget for the upcoming fiscal year has been brought with restraint. Speaking at a press conference at the ministry on Monday, a day after the budget for the Fiscal Year (FY 2022/23) was made public, he claimed that he had brought a restrained budget instead an election-oriented budget.

He urged everyone not to doubt that the topics mentioned in the budget will not be implemented.

"We have set a definite target in the budget. The entire government apparatus is mobilized to achieve these goals. The goal is to end poverty. We have given emphasis to the development of human capital and education. The demands of the private sector have been addressed,” he shared.

According to Finance Minister Sharma, priority has been given to increasing employment, developing infrastructure and import substitution by making maximum use of resources.

"The upcoming budget will make the country prosperous and address the development aspirations of the people," he said.

Claiming that the government's policy will replace imports, Finance Minister Sharma said that the government is thinking of reducing the trade deficit by exporting cement. 

"We have decided to give cash subsidy and rebate on electricity tariff to the industry to promote export," he said. 

He added that the economic growth rate of 8 per cent will be achieved as the budget has been prepared by setting targets for the first time in every sector. Sharma also said that everyone would feel a sense of belonging as he had taken everyone's suggestions in formulating the budget and addressed their demands.

According to him, special attention has been given to the agricultural sector considering the situation developed at the international level. The goal is to increase exports and expand employment by reducing imports. Sharma also claimed that the budget was not brought targeting the election. 

"It's not an election budget. We are providing some services and facilities,” he said. 

The government aims to achieve economic growth of 8 per cent and limit inflation to 7 per cent. This goal has been described by economists as ambitious.

"We took everyone's suggestions in budget formulation. We have tried to address the issues included in the policies and programmes with the cooperation of all and under the direction of the Prime Minister,” he said.