Prime Minister Balendra Shah has appointed advisors to his secretariat, with two receiving facilities equivalent to ministers and two receiving facilities equivalent to state ministers. In response to a written question from Congress MP Sita Thapaliya (Urmila), the Prime Minister’s Office stated that Prime Minister Shah has appointed a total of 27 people to various levels with corresponding facilities.

MP Thapaliya had asked the Prime Minister’s Office in writing, “How many people have been appointed to the Prime Minister’s Secretariat, at what levels and with what facilities, and under which law?”

In response to this question, the Prime Minister’s Office stated, “In the Prime Minister’s Secretariat, officials and staff have been appointed as per the Prime Minister’s Advisor and Secretariat Management Procedure, 2074. Among the Prime Minister’s advisors, two people (Chief Advisor and Political Advisor) have been appointed with facilities equivalent to a minister of the Government of Nepal, and two people (Policy, Administration and Good Governance Advisor, and Information and Communication Technology Advisor) have been appointed with facilities equivalent to a state minister of the Government of Nepal.”

Kumar Byanjankar has been appointed as the Prime Minister’s Chief Advisor, and Asim Shah as the Political Advisor. Secretary Pushkar Sapkota of the Prime Minister’s Office stated that Byanjankar and Shah have been appointed with facilities equivalent to a minister.

Secretary Sapkota wrote that the Health Advisor is unpaid. The Prime Minister’s Health Advisor is Prof. Dr. Jagdish Prasad Agrawal.

Although there are 48 sanctioned positions in the Prime Minister’s Secretariat, only 27 people have been appointed so far, Secretary Sapkota wrote in response to MP Thapaliya’s question. “Of the total 48 sanctioned positions in the Prime Minister’s personal secretariat, only 27 have been appointed,” the response states.

The Prime Minister’s Office has not provided clear answers to all of MP Thapaliya’s written questions. MP Thapaliya had asked whether staff in the Prime Minister’s Secretariat receive vehicle facilities, who receives such facilities, to provide a list, how many vehicles are used in the secretariat, what is the monthly expenditure of the Prime Minister’s Secretariat, and what are the expenses including telephone, snacks, and petroleum.

MP Thapaliya also asked, “There is talk that the Council of Ministers is going to provide a special category secretariat to ministers. How many people will be in the secretariat? What facilities will they receive? What is the burden on the state treasury?”

In response to these questions, Secretary Sapkota of the Prime Minister’s Office wrote that arrangements differ according to the ministry. There is no answer to the question about the burden on the state treasury. “Regarding the number and facilities of advisors to ministers, the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, the Ministry of Infrastructure Development, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Environment can appoint up to five advisors, including one paid advisor equivalent to the special category of the Government of Nepal,” the response states. “Ministers of other ministries can appoint up to three advisors, including one paid advisor equivalent to the special category of the Government of Nepal.”

Recently, a Cabinet meeting decided to allow ministers to appoint advisors equivalent to secretaries. Secretary Sapkota also wrote in the response that there are nine sanctioned positions in each minister’s personal secretariat. “Regarding facilities, the Deputy Prime Minister can have a chief personal secretary equivalent to the first class gazetted officer of the Government of Nepal. Ministers and state ministers can have a chief personal secretary equivalent to the second class gazetted officer of the Government of Nepal,” the response states. “In addition, all ministers (Deputy Prime Minister, Minister, and State Minister) can have one personal secretary equivalent to the third class gazetted officer of the Government of Nepal, one coordination, implementation, and monitoring officer equivalent to the third class gazetted officer of the Government of Nepal, one communication and public relations assistant equivalent to the first class non-gazetted officer of the Government of Nepal, one assistant level staff equivalent to the first class non-gazetted officer of the Government of Nepal, and two drivers and two office assistants without grade.”