KATHMANDU, March 27: Finance Minister Barshaman Pun has initiated extensive changes at the Ministry of Finance (MoF). Three weeks after taking over the ministry as the Minister for Finance, Pun changed the directors general of the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) and the Department of Customs (DoC) as well as the heads of the divisions within the MoF.
IRD and DoC are considered powerful agencies operating under the MoF. Joint Secretary Shiva Lal Tiwari has been appointed as the new Director General of IRD.
Finance Minister Dr Mahat makes major bureaucratic reshuffle wi...
In order to appoint Tiwari as the Director General, Pun transferred the previous director general of IRD, Dr Bhupal Baral, who was appointed to the position just two months ago by former Finance Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat, to the Ministry of Forest and Environment. Pun made the decision during a recent meeting of the Council of Ministers.
Meanwhile, Dhundi Prasad Niraula has been appointed as the new director general of the DoC. Sobhakant Paudel, the immediate past director general, has been reassigned to the Public Finance Management Training Center.
Furthermore, Ram Prasad Acharya, the head of the Training Center, has been brought to the MoF. Finance Minister Pun brought Tiwari, Niraula, and Narayan Prasad Sapkota to the MoF through the latest Council of Ministers meeting. Sapkota had previously served as the Director General of the DoC from August 19, 2021, to February 14.
Finance Minister Pun has restructured the leadership of key divisions within the MoF. Uttar Kumar Khatri, head of the Budget Division, has been transferred to Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Division.
