Cabinet gets its full shape; three more ministries formed

KATHMANDU, Aug 31 - Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal swore in 15 new ministers representing Maoist, UML and other fringe parties amid a ceremony organised at the Presidential Residence Shital Niwas in the presence of President Dr Ram Baran Yadav on Sunday.After 10 days since the formation of the government, ...

According to the agreement between and betwixt the coalition partners yesterday, Bamadev Gautam of the CPN-UML has been appointed deputy prime minister and home minister holding second top most position after the prime minister.

The cabinet expansion was finalised yesterday after the three major coalition partners —CPN-Maoist, UML and Madhesi People’s Rights Forum (MPRF)—reached an understanding that UML will hold the second hierarchical position in the government after the prime minister.

However, the parties had reached an understanding to keep three deputy prime ministers on Saturday.

Earlier today the Maoists finalised six more names from their side for nomination.

Like wise, the expanded cabinet includes Girirajmani Pokhrel of the People’s Front Nepal and Rajendra Mahato of the Sadbhawana Party and Ganesh Sah of the CPN-United.

Earlier, the cabinet meeting that was held today afternoon decided to form three new ministries.

The meeting decided to form the new ministries under the name of Commerce and Supplies, Youth and Sports, and Culture and State Reformation, Minister for Communication Krishna Bahadur Mahara, who is also the government spokesperson, informed.

Similarly, the cabinet has also decided to change the name of Ministry of Law and Parliamentary Affairs to the Law and Constituent Assembly.

Meanwhile, the cabinet meeting decided to scrap the system of drawing allowances for foreign tours of the ministers. The government will now on bear only the real expenses of its ministers in foreign tour.

The new structure of the cabinet is as follows:

Pushpa Kamal Dahal- Prime Minister (CPN-Maoist)Bamadev Gautam Deputy Prime Minister and Home (CPN-UML)

CPN-Maoist ministers:

Dr Baburam Bhattarai FinanceRam Bahadur Thapa- Defence

Krishna Bahadur Mahara- Information and Communication

Dev Gurung- Law and Constituent Assembly

Pampha Bhusal - General Administration

Hisila Yami - Tourism and Civil Aviation

Lekh Raj Bhatta - Labour and Transport

Gopal Kiranti- Culture and State Restruction

Matrika Yadav- Land Reform and Management

Janardan Sharma Prabhakar- Peace

CPN-UML ministers:

Ram Chandra Jha– Local DevelopmentBishnu Poudel- Water Resources

Kiran Gurung – Forest

Gopal Shakya –Youth and Sports

Asta Laxmi Shakya – Industry

MPRF ministers:Upendra Yadav - Foreign Affairs Bijaya Kumar Gachchadar - Physical Planning

Jaya Prakash Gupta - Agriculture

Renu Yadav - Education

Sadbhavana Party minister:Rajendra Mahato - Commerce and Supply

CPN-United minister:Ganesh Sah - Science, Environment and Technology

People’s Front Nepal:Giriraj Mani Pokharel - Health and Population