Lumbini Province to Reduce Ministries to Eight

Kathmandu. The Lumbini Province government has moved forward with preparations to reduce the number of ministries to only eight from the upcoming July 1.

The Council of Ministers meeting held on Friday under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Chet Narayan Acharya has assigned the Organization and Management Survey Committee to review the organizational structure of the ministries and submit a report.

According to government spokesperson and Minister for Agriculture, Land Management and Cooperatives, Dinesh Panthi, the number of ministries is being reduced to make the provincial government's performance efficient, agile, and economical. Currently, Lumbini has 12 ministries.

The committee formed under the convenorship of Chief Secretary Krishnaprasad Kapri has been directed to prepare a draft including necessary amendments to the Provincial Government (Work Division) Regulations, 2079. After the implementation of the report submitted by this committee, the current ministries will be merged into eight.

The meeting also approved the arrangements related to vehicle renewal and temporary service operation as per the proposal of the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Transport. From the upcoming fiscal year, in Gulmi, Arghakhanchi, Pyuthan, Rolpa, Rukum East, Bardiya, and Dang, where there are no transport management offices, vehicle registration book renewal and temporary route permit services will be provided through the Cottage and Small Industries Office.

Similarly, the Council of Ministers has also assigned responsibilities to the provincial secretaries. Narayanprasad Aryal has been given the responsibility of Secretary of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers' Office and Sushila Aryal has been given the responsibility of Secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Law. The meeting approved the Study Prior Approval and Study Leave Approval Procedure, 2083, and decided to send the Provincial Financial Procedure and Financial Accountability Regulations to the Administration and Legislation Committee.

As per the proposal of the Ministry of Forest and Environment, a recommendation will be made to the central government for the transfer of religious forests, and the private forest related procedure has also been sent to the relevant committee.