PM Oli inducts 15 new ministers in Cabinet

KATHMANDU, March 16: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has expanded the Cabinet for the second time with some reshuffle. Oli appointed 15 new ministers, nine from CPN-UML and six from CPN (Maoist Center).

President Bidya Devi Bhandari administered the oath of office and secrecy to the newly appointed ministers at Shitwal Niwas Friday evening.

The new ministers are Pradip Gyawali (Foreign Affairs), Gokarna Bista (Labor, Employment and Social Security), Rabindra Adhikari (Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation), Raghubir Mahaseth (Physical Infrastructure and Transport), Sher Bahadur Tamang (Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs), and Jagat BK (Youth and Sports). They are from UML.

Similarly, those to be appointed ministers from Maoist Center are Barsha Man Pun (Energy, Hydropower and Irrigation), Giriraj Mani Pokhrel (Education, Science and Technology), Shakti Basnet (Forest and Environment), Chakrapani Khanal (Agriculture, Land Reform and Cooperatives) and Bina Magar (Drinking Water).

Moreover, Gokul Baskota has been appointed the Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology, Padma Aryal the Minister of State for Health and Population, Dhan Bahadur Budha the Minister of State for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, and Ram Kumari Chaudhari the Minister of State for Agriculture, Land Reform and Cooperatives.

Meanwhile, Minister for Environment and Science Lal Babu Pandit has been assigned the new role of Minister for Federal Affairs and General Administration.

Present on the occasion were Vice-President Nanda Bahadur Pun, Acting Chief Justice Deepak Raj Joshi, Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara, Maoist Center Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, leaders and cadres of UML and Maoist Center, chiefs of constitutional bodies, and of diplomatic missions. 

Earlier on February 26, Prime Minister Oli had inducted Ishwor Pokharel as Defense Minister, Ram Bahadur Thapa as Home Minister, Matrika Yadav as Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies and Dr Yubraj Khatiwada as the Finance Minister in his cabinet. 

The PM Oli administered the oath of office and secrecy to the state ministers. RSS