By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Apr. 10: Finance Minister Barsaman Pun has said that priority will be given to the infrastructure, agriculture, tourism and information technology sectors in the upcoming budget.

Minister Pun made this remark in a meeting with Takeo Konishi, Director General for South Asia region of Asian Development Bank (ADB), who is visiting Nepal, at the Ministry on Tuesday.

He said that he was trying to make improvements even though there is sluggishness in the country's economy. 

Stating that economic growth is expected to be better in the current fiscal year than last year, he said it is expected to be around 4 per cent.

Minister Pun expressed the belief that more can be done in the coming financial year as the government will introduce budget targeting, accelerating the economic activities in the country. 

He said that although the growth in the manufacturing sector has decreased, there has been an increase of 19 per cent in the tourism sector.

Minister Pun said that the progress of spending on development projects funded by the World Bank and Asian Development Bank was low. 

Minister Pun said that he was constantly communicating and consulting with the ministries related to the project to increase the expenditure on development projects funded by domestic and donor agencies.

He said that Nepal has made significant development in the energy and road infrastructure sectors in the last 15 years. He said that Mid-Hill in the hills, Postal Highway in the Tarai and dozens of roads in the north-south corridor are being constructed.

He expressed his belief that the economic growth rate of Nepal will be very good when the construction of those roads is completed and they become operational.

Director General Takeo expressed his concern in the work of the projects funded by ADB. He also said that a delegation led by the vice president of ADB will participate in the investment conference to be held on April 28-29 in Kathmandu.