Lumbini: Seven ministers gain portfolios

Published On: April 24, 2024 04:57 PM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

BUTWAL, April 24: Seven ministers without portfolio in Lumbini province have been assigned ministerial responsibilities.

Sources from the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers office revealed that Bhumishwar Dhakal has been assigned the Ministry of Urban Development and Water Supply; Dinesh Panthi the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Law, and Communication; Arjun KC the Ministry of Forest and Environment; and Ratna Bahadur Khatri the Ministry of Social Development. All four ministers are from the CPN-UML.

Additionally, Dharma Bahadur Chaudhary has been tasked with the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development and Transport; Khadga Basnet with the Ministry of Tourism, Industry, and Cooperatives; and Bhagwati Adhikari with the Ministry of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens.

Chaudhary represents the Nagarik Unmukti Party (NUP), Basnet is an independent provincial lawmaker, and Adhikari is from the CPN (Unified Socialist) Party. Previously, Chetnarayan Acharya from the UML was assigned the Finance Ministry, while Dipendra Pun from CPN (Maoist Center) took charge of the Health Ministry.

However, Bhandari Lal Ahir from the Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP), who was appointed to the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Management, resigned. Ahir resigned, expressing discontent that the JSP was allocated only one ministry, contrary to the written agreement promising two ministries.

Chief Minister Jokh Bahadur Mahara is in charge of the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation. Earlier, during the tenure of CPN-UML's Lila Giri and Nepali Congress's Dilli Bahadur Chaudhary as chief ministers, there were 10 ministries in Lumbini. However, after Mahara, from the Maoist Center, assumed the role of chief minister, the ministries were split, and two additional ministries were created to accommodate the various parties in the provincial government.

Jokh Bahadur Mahara, the leader of the Maoist parliamentary party, assumed office as the chief minister on April 5, 2024, with the support of 48 provincial assembly members from UML, CPN (Maoist Center), NUP, JSP, and the CPN (Unified Socialist), along with an independent provincial assembly member.