BIRATNAGAR, May 17: Koshi Chief Minister (CM) Hikmat Kumar Karki has expanded the Koshi province government to 10 members. CM Karki, who was appointed on May 9, had initially formed a government with two ministers without portfolio. Five ministers and two state ministers were inducted into the provincial Cabinet with the allocation of their portfolios today.
From the UML, Ekraj Karki, Panchakarna Rai, and Lila Ballabh Adhikari were appointed as ministers. Narayan Burja Magar and Rajendra Karki were appointed from the CPN (Maoist Center). Additionally, Srijan Rai from the UML and Bandana Jhagad from the Maoist Center were appointed as state ministers.
Previously, Ram Rana from the UML and Ganesh Upreti from the Maoist Center were appointed as ministers.
CPN (Unified Socialist) inducted in Province 2 govt
Chief Minister Hikmat Kumar Karki has retained the responsibility for the Ministry of Agriculture, Industry, and Cooperatives.
Ram Bahadur Magar has been assigned the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Planning, while Rajendra Karki will oversee the Ministry of Health. Panchakarna Rai has been appointed as the Minister for Social Development, Ekraj Karki as the Minister for Energy, Irrigation, and Drinking Water, and Ganesh Upreti as the Minister for Physical Infrastructure Development.
Narayan Bahadur Magar has been appointed as the Minister for Tourism, Forest, and Environment, and Lila Ballabh Adhikari as the Minister for Internal Affairs and Law.
Bandana Jhagad has been appointed as the Minister of State for Tourism, Forests, and Environment, and Srijan Rai has been appointed as the Minister of State in the Chief Minister's Office.