Government Reduces Ministries to 18 After Passing New Work Division Rules

Kathmandu. After the government passed the 'Government of Nepal (Work Division) Rules, 2083' and published it in the Nepal Gazette, the number of ministries has decreased from 22 to 18. 

When the government brought the work division rules, it has kept 8 former ministries as they are. Some ministries have been merged, and one new ministry has been created.

According to the work division done by the government, the buildings of 3 former ministries will become vacant. One newly created ministry will require a new building. 

Also Read

Which ministries were merged and which were abolished?

What is the impact of intelligence exchange?

Spokesperson of the Prime Minister's Office and Secretariat, Joint Secretary Hemraj Aryal, informed that the buildings of 3 former ministries have become vacant and a new building will be required for one new ministry.

"The buildings of the former Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Drinking Water, and Ministry of Urban Development have become vacant," Spokesperson Aryal told Ratopati, "A new building will be required for the newly formed Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation." 

The Chief Secretary Sumanraj Aryal held a discussion on Friday morning with the secretaries of the abolished and merged ministries regarding what to do with the vacant ministry buildings and where to house the newly formed ministry. In the discussion held at the Prime Minister's Office and Secretariat, it was discussed whether to house the newly formed Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation in the vacant building of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, but it has not been finalized. 

"Discussions are ongoing about housing it in the building of the abolished Ministry of Youth and Sports as per the new work division. It is not finalized," said Spokesperson Aryal. 

The Chief Secretary also discussed with the secretaries about what offices to house in the vacant buildings of the two ministries. It was decided to finalize after further discussion. 

The discussion this morning included secretaries such as Radhika Aryal, Secretary of the former Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens, Loknath Poudyal, Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Madan Bhujel, Secretary of the Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation, Dilliram Sharma, Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Population (Population Administration), Gopal Prasad Sigdel, Secretary of the Ministry of Urban Development, and Dr. Deepak Kafle, Secretary of the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security. Although the meeting primarily discussed employee management and building utilization, no decision has been made.  

A secretary who participated in the meeting informed that the main agenda of the discussion was about employee and building management after the new work division.

"The main agenda of the discussion was about employee and building management after the new work division," the secretary told Ratopati, "It has been discussed to house the newly formed Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation in the former Ministry of Youth and Sports. However, a decision has not been made yet. Regarding employees, it has been discussed that the Chief Secretary will make the decision on how to manage them."

With the reduction in the number of ministries, secretaries and joint secretaries are likely to become idle. It has been discussed that they will be managed gradually, the secretary informed.

The abolished Ministry of Youth and Sports has been merged with Youth Labor and Employment to form the Ministry of Youth, Labor, and Employment. Sports have been merged with Education to form the Ministry of Education and Sports.

The abolished Ministry of Drinking Water and Ministry of Urban Development have been merged with the former Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development and renamed as the Ministry of Infrastructure Development.

• 8 Ministries Remain Unchanged

According to the new work division published in the Nepal Gazette, 8 ministries have been kept as they are. The Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defence, and Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation have been kept as they are.  

• What Changes Have Been Made in Which Ministries?

The information technology related work under the former Ministry of Communications and the National Investigation Department under the Ministry of Home Affairs have been merged into the Prime Minister's Office and Secretariat. Agriculture, Forests, and Environment have been merged to form the Ministry of Agriculture, Forests, and Environment. 

Urban, Physical Infrastructure, and Drinking Water have been merged to form the Ministry of Infrastructure Development. Land, Cooperatives, and Human Resources have been merged to form the Ministry of Land, Cooperatives, Federal Affairs, and General Administration.

Gender and Sexual Minorities and Social Security have been merged with the Ministry of Women and Children to form the Ministry of Women, Children, Gender and Sexual Minorities, and Social Security. Social Security has been taken from the former Ministry of Labour and Employment and merged here.

Youth has been added to Labour and Employment to form the Ministry of Youth, Labour, and Employment. Science and Technology has been taken from Education and Sports has been added. Information Technology has been taken from the Ministry of Communications and the Ministry of Information and Communications has been formed. Population has been taken from Health and Food Security has been added.