Economic agenda on priority: DPM Mahara

Kathmandu, Sept. 16: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Krishna Bahadur Mahara Friday said that the government had accorded top priority to the economic agenda.

Speaking at the 17^th annual general assembly of the Society of Economic Journalists of Nepal (SEJON), DPM Mahara said, "We spent decades in political movements. As a result, political reforms and rights have occupied centre space in the national agenda. We forgot the fact that political development can only sustain if there is economic development. Economy is a base upon which the superstructure of politics is built."

However, he maintained that as the politics needed to be purified in order to implement economic reforms and attain growth, the political parties and the government were more focused to the political reforms.

DPM Mahara said, "We are putting our efforts to develop competitive economic system."

Speaking on a different note, he urged the journalists for the fact-based reporting. "Fact-based journalism contributes to the economic development. Therefore, journalists should be more responsible and cautious while writing news."

Governor of the Nepal Rastra Bank Dr. Chiranjibi Nepal said that journalism had become irresponsible profession these days as some journalists were using media to fulfill their vested interests.

"Journalism is the profession involving educated, responsible and professionally competent individuals, but what we see in Nepal is anyone can be a journalist and can misuse its power for their self-interest," said Dr. Nepal.

He urged the SEJON to implement code of conduct to do away with anomalies besetting the journalism sector.

SEJON founder president Prateek Pradhan said that civil society in Nepal had become weak and politics a dirty game and therefore, journalism should do their best to improve the field.

The SEJON has developed a separate code of conduct for its members.