KATHMANDU: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said the government built a basis in its first year and was now moving forward towards the ‘year of achievement.

Informing the Parliament meeting today about the progress of works the government carried out in its two years’ term, PM Oli said Nepal figured among the ten countries making rapid economic progress.

“The country has been developing at a rapid pace. It is included among the 10 countries achieving rapid economic development. Its economic growth rate continues to 6.5 percent in three consecutive years. The total income is above 18 percent,” he added.

Stating that poverty has decreased by 1.5 percent, he said the population of the poor has dropped to 16.5 percent.

The economic development of the States was at the same level. “Social security program has helped reduce poverty. Overall, the economic development itself has increased. Employment has also increased as the labour market has expanded,” the Prime Minister claimed, adding that people who have freshly come in the labor market need not be unemployed.

Although most of the people coming in the labor market have been employed, there are some complications due to lack of skills and efficiency, and of life skills-based education.

According to him, the government, standing on a strong foundation, has taken this year as the year of rising short-term and long-term development and that 761 governments were carrying out their works to that end.

He stated that federalism with rapid development as per the aspiration of the people has been implemented in the country after the employee’s adjustment and there has been clarity in terms of works along with challenges coming from the new system. The fundamental rights are on implementation after the formulation of the related laws, PM Oli asserted.

Maintaining that the government was vigorously working to increase the access of every citizen to education and health, he said, “Last year, there was a rumour that people cannot even weep let alone laugh if the communists formed the government. But the reality was not like that. It is not that authoritarianism is coming putting the democracy in peril, as had been alleged.”

As the PM said, the government was moving ahead as per the new system following the promulgation of the Constitution of Nepal and there was no situation of negation at present as that of three decades back. “The present administration is not like that,” he emphasized.

“Waging a movement for democracy and launching an agitation in a democracy are different things. We should be able to distinguish between a movement for democracy and an agitation in democracy,” Prime Minister Oli said, adding that the government has been moving ahead with the responsibility of fulfilling the onus of ‘Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali’ to materialize the national aspirations as the moment of political movement has now ended.

He asserted that 6-km roadway was blacktopped every day following the formation of the present government.

Addressing the House of Representatives meeting upon the completion of two years of the present government, PM Oli said, “During this period, 125 cable crossings were displaced; the country became self-reliant on agriculture fishery and meat products.”

According to the PM, 88 percent of the total population of the country has been ensured electricity. With the increased production of electricity, Nepal began exporting it. These are tremendous achievements in the energy sector.

The favourable atmosphere was created to export electricity to India and Bangladesh, he argued.

Moreover, the PM reminded that the plan to construct an interstate electricity transmission line from Lapsephedi-Ratmate-Damauli-Hetauda-Palpa-Butwal and Gorakhpur under the MCC compact would be longterm importance, ensuring milestone in the utilization of the huge potential of Nepal’s hydropower electricity.

“With the completion of this pride project in the coming five years, Nepal’s economy with improved foreign trade and energy utilization will undoubtedly bring huge change,” he underscored.

In the address, PM Oli said, “Students’ enrollment rate was near 100 percent. The dropout rate has dropped. The health insurance has been expanded to 39 districts from 15 districts. Nepal has been the first country in South Asia as an open defecation free country. Construction of landfill sites at Bancharedanda of Nuwakot for the management of Kathmandu Valley garbage was expedited. These all are achievements.”

He warned that anyone involved in corruption will be brought to book. The government is devoted to retrieving the lands encroached in different places.

PM Oli shared before the lawmakers that revenue leakage has reduced much. As many as 795 employees and firms included involved in fake bills and hundi have been filed cases.

Investigation and action have been forwarded against those involved in the Lalita Niwas land scam. He informed that it was already made public that the tenants were provided some 174 ropanis of land owned by Nepal Trust against Nepal Trust Act 2064 in 2069 BS.