Division of duties of 7 ministers by splitting the ministry in Lumbini

The meeting of the Council of Ministers held at the office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers on Wednesday afternoon decided to increase the number of ministries.

Ministry has been split and two new ones have been created. The Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens has been given to CPN SK Bhagwati Adhikari. Chief Minister Mahara himself has held the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation. Dinesh Panthi, MP of Gulmi Constituency 2 (2) from UML, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Law and Communications, Kapilvastu Constituency 3 (1) MP Arjun Kumar KC to Ministry of Forest and Environment, Rupandehi Constituency 5 (1) MP Bhumishwar Dhakal to Urban and Water Supply Ministry and Banke Constituency 3 (1) MP Ratna Bahadur Khatri has been assigned the responsibility of Social Development Ministry.

Civil Liberties Party, Leader of Parliamentary Party Bardia Constituency 2 (2) MP Dharma Bahadur Chaudhary has been assigned the responsibility of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development and Transport and Khadak Basnet, the independent MP of Constituency 2 (1) of Nawalparasi, has been assigned the responsibility of the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Urban Planning, said Dipendra Kumar Pun Magar, the spokesperson of the government.

Non-departmental minister appointed on March 25, Chetnarayan Acharya from UML was assigned the responsibility of Ministry of Economic Affairs and Planning, Dipendra Kumar Pun Magar from Maoist as government spokesperson and Ministry of Health and Bhandarilal Ahir of Jaspa was assigned the responsibility of Ministry of Agriculture and Land Management last Thursday.

Minister Ahir resigned from the JSP government on Sunday saying that Chief Minister Mahara did not follow the 7-point agreement of Chait 22 before being appointed Chief Minister. Lumbini's party, including Mahara, had agreed in writing to give 2 ministries to Jaspa, which has 3 MPs.

After Ahir resigned from the minister's post, his name remained as the agriculture minister in the 11-member list of ministers. "According to the instructions of the party, I have resigned from the ministerial post," he said, "even though I got the ministry, I resigned without taking office." Discussions are going on between the Chief Minister and the Pati Center, it is hoped that some conclusions will be reached.'

Jaspa Lumbini state president Ashok Yadav claimed that Jaspa will not join the government unless the chief minister complies with the 7-point agreement. In the 11-member cabinet, 5 from UML, 2 from Maoist including the chief minister, 1 each from NAUPA, CPN-S and independent.