KP Sharma Oli of CPN-UML was sworn in as the prime minister of Nepal at Sheetal Niwas, Kathmandu, on Monday. President Ramchandra Paudel administered the oath of office and secrecy to Oli, who has been elected the chief executive for the fourth time. The President also administered the oath to 21 members inducted into Oli’s cabinet. The cabinet comprises leaders from UML, Nepali Congress, Loktantrik Samajbadi Party and Janata Samajbadi Party.
- KP Sharma Oli, Prime Minister
- Prakash Man Singh, Urban Development
- Bishnu Prasad Paudel, Finance
- Prithvi Subba Gurung, Communications
- Ramesh Lekhak, Home
- Sharat Singh Bhandari, Labor
- Arzu Rana, Foreign Affairs
- Pradeep Yadav, Water Supply
- Balaram Adhikari, Land Management
- Damodar Bhandari, Industry
- Nawal Kishor Sah Sudi, Women, Children
- Devendra Dahal, Physical Infrastructure
- Tejulal Chaudhary, Youth
- Pradip Paudel, Health
- Ajay Kumar Chaurasiya, Law
- Badri Prasad Pandey, Culture, Tourism
- Ramnath Adhikari, Agriculture
- Bidhya Bhattarai, Education
- Manbir Rai, Defense
- Dipak Khadka, Energy
- Raj Kumar Gupta, Federal Affairs
- Ain Bahadur Shahi, Forest, Environment
Congratulations from int’l community
Narendra Modi, Indian Prime Minister
Look forward to working closely to further strengthen the deep bonds of friendship between our two countries and to further expand our mutually beneficial cooperation for the progress and prosperity of our peoples.
Dean R Thompson, US Ambassador to Nepal
We look forward to working with the new Government of Nepal to further strengthen our 77-year partnership.
Rob Fenn, British Ambassador to Nepal
We look forward to further strengthening our longstanding UK-Nepal relationship in the coming days.
Dismal representation
In Oli’s 22-member cabinet, there are only two women ministers and no Dalit ministers, though the Constitution mandates 33 percent representation of women and 13 percent representation of Dalits in all areas of the state.
Nine new faces
Out of the 21 appointed by Prime Minister Oli, nine became ministers for the first time: Arzu Rana, Pradip Paudel, Badri Pandey, Ramnath Adhikari, Ain Bahadur Shahi, Devendra Dahal, Bidya Bhattarai, Manbir Rai, and Raj Kumar Gupta.
Minister for the eighth time
Deputy Prime Minister Bishnu Paudel, who is also the Vice-chairperson of CPN-UML, has been appointed a minister for the eighth time. This marks his fifth term as Finance Minister and third stint as the deputy prime minister. His first appointment as minister was on 25 March 1997.
Urgent matters first
The newly-appointed Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Ramnath Adhikari, shelved a plan to assume office by organizing a program due to an ongoing strike. After taking the oath of office, the minister visited the ministry and listened to the demands of the agitating employees of the ministry. Then he asked the employees to give him “2-4 days to see what he can do about their demands”. The employees’ demands include the retention of permanent posts for 328 individuals currently in bridge positions within agricultural services unions, along with arrangements for regular filling of vacant positions.
First decisions
Cabinet
The inaugural meeting of the new cabinet has decided to upgrade the TU International Cricket Ground with full facilities, including spectator stands and floodlights for night games, all to be completed within 300 days. Additionally, the cabinet has approved providing relief akin to that for the deceased to families of individuals missing for 10 days due to disasters like floods and landslides. The government also decided to make the decisions of the cabinet meeting public only after 24 hours.
Home Affairs
Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has formed a task force to study the Simaltal bus accident. Led by Joint Secretary of the Home Ministry Chhabi Rijal, the panel includes representatives from three security agencies and one from the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport. The task force has 10 days to complete the investigation.
Urban Development
Minister for Urban Development Prakash Man Singh signed a file for the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs to amend the laws requiring self-declaration of non-foreign permanent residency in political appointments under the ministry’s departments and agencies.
Finance
Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel made his first decision related to conducting a study on identifying areas for development finance. He approved alternative financial procedures, making it easier to utilize blended finance, the Green Climate Fund, and other alternative financial resources, streamlining their acquisition and utilization processes.
Health and Population
Minister for Health and Population Pradeep Paudel has made the first decision to formulate a strategy for preventing cancer. Health Secretary Roshan Pokharel highlighted the rising number of cancer patients in Nepal, underscoring the need for a strategic approach to address this issue. Consequently, Minister Paudel approved the National Cancer Strategy (2024-2030).
Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation
Minister Balaram Adhikari signed two decisions: First, to send to the Law Ministry for the formation of a land registration committee for former Maharani Jhoda wards number 4 and 5 of Jhapa, and second, to approve the format for requesting instructions from agencies and departments under the Ministry.
Education, Science and Technology
Minister for Education, Science, and Technology Bidya Bhattarai formed a committee to study the integration of local agricultural products into the mid-day meals provided to students. She signed the decision to establish a committee tasked with developing a plan to connect the mid-day meals program, serving students from early childhood development up to the 5th grade, with locally-sourced agricultural products.
Foreign Affairs
Arzu Rana, Minister of Foreign Affairs, has decided to give continuity to the practice of sending congratulatory messages to the heads of state of friendly countries on their National Days, a practice observed during the monarchy.
