KATHMANDU: Comments that the budget tabled by the government on Saturday was of a huge size and distributive did not hold any substance, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli argued.

Speaking at the parliamentary party meeting of his party CPN-UML at the UML PP Office in Naya Baneswor today, he said the comments were spread just as a result of the trend that an opposition party has to express disagreements over the ruling parties' initiatives.

The UML Chairman Oli challenged the opposition parties to come up with evidences to show where and how the budget was distributive.

Oli advocated that the budget was oriented toward development of the country, advancement of the people and socialism as envisaged in the new Constitution.

"The budget comprises clear policy and approach in taking the country ahead, and with the goal of enforcement", he said.

He also said that the government allocated budget in various sectors with due responsibility for the development of country.

The Prime Minister said the principles of budget advocated development and prosperity of the country. "Implementation of the budget will show what ways should be adopted to develop a country," he said.

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Responding to criticisms on the budget by various quarters, Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel said that the criticisms were made on the ground that the government brought a very popular budget, but not the fact that they disliked it.

He defended the budget, saying that it has accorded a high priority to the construction of federal structures, local elections, agriculture and energy.

CPN-UML chief whip Bhanu Bhakta Dhakal termed the budget good and urged all lawmakers to support it during the Parliament deliberations.

He said that a good message would be spread if a campaign regarding good aspect of the government's policy and programme would be launched across the nation.

Some of the parliamentarians argued that budget was only allocated in the home town of the Prime Minister in Jhapa and of the Finance Minister in Rupandehi.