KATHMANDU: Nepal Communist Party (NCP) lawmaker Ram Kumari Jhakri has said that Finance Minister Yubaraj Khatiwada must own up to the government's decision to provide Rs 40 million to each constituency.

'Finance Minister earlier said that he was trapped and it was not entirely his decision,' Jhakri said. 'It is not responsible of finance minister to say so. The budget should not have been allocated despite wide criticism but now that it has been done, he must stand by his decision.' '40 million for 165 constituencies (direct elected representatives) sounds odd. However, I'm not advocating that PR lawmakers should've been allotted some share, I just wonder how necessary it was when he himself said MPs would misuse those funds. Why appropriate with such doubts?' Jhakri questioned. 'He either should not have proposed the budget or should have taken responsibility for the same and not pass light remarks as such (trapped),' Jhakri added.