Bagmati Province Government Reduces Ministries and Offices

Hetauda. The Bagmati Province Government has decided to restructure its administrative structure, reducing the number of ministries and subordinate offices. A cabinet meeting held on Thursday decided that there will be 191 offices under 8 ministries to reduce the province's expenditure and make its performance efficient.

According to the province government's previous decision, 14 ministries were reduced to 8. Accordingly, the decision has been made to reduce the 201 offices under the ministries to 191.

According to the government spokesperson and Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning, Prabhat Tamang, the restructuring has been done based on the recommendation of the Organization and Management Survey Committee. Minister Tamang stated that the new arrangement has been decided to be implemented from the upcoming August 1.

With the implementation from the upcoming August 1, 6 ministries of the province have been merged, and now there will be the Office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Law and Cooperatives, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Planning, Ministry of Water Supply, Energy and Irrigation, Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Forest and Environment, Ministry of Health and Social Development, and Ministry of Industry, Tourism, Labor and Transport. The province government estimates an annual reduction of 5 billion in public expenditure on current accounts.

The cabinet meeting has retained 191 offices by removing duplicate and temporary offices from the previously existing 201. Minister Tamang said that some offices have been merged, some have been abolished, and some new offices have been created as needed. He stated that reducing the number of ministries and offices will cut expenses on house rent, vehicles, fuel, and staff management, making it easier to allocate more budget for development construction.

According to him, the number of ministries was fixed at 8 after the cabinet's decision on Jestha 22 amended the 'Work Division Regulations, 2080'. A 'Organization and Management Survey Committee' was formed under the convenorship of the senior-most secretary of the concerned ministry to revise the organizational structure and staffing of ministries and subordinate bodies. The number and form of offices have been determined based on the recommendations of that committee and the decisions of the Province Organization and Management Committee.

According to the proposal approved by the Chief Minister on Jestha 21, from the upcoming August 1, only 8 ministries and a total of 191 offices as mentioned in the schedule will exist across the province. He stated that office codes are being prepared to be provided to these offices for the allocation of the new fiscal year's budget.

According to Province Secretary Rambabu Puri, this proposal was presented to the cabinet and approved in accordance with the schedule of the Bagmati Province Government (Work Performance) Regulations, 2074. He stated that with the reduction in the number of ministries, administrative expenses will decrease, and it will be easier for development construction and service delivery. He mentioned that this decision has terminated the existence of temporary offices and merged offices of a similar nature. He also stated that other bodies under the province (Commissions and Attorney General's Offices) remain.

He stated that the budget heading for the Youth Council will be maintained under the Sports Council, and it has been decided not to provide budget headings for boards such as the Dairy Development Board and Cooperative Development Board in the province.

According to the decision approved by the Office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers, 3 offices will be under the Office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers (Chief Minister's Office, Province Good Governance Center, and Province Record Office), and 4 offices will be under the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Law and Cooperatives (Ministry, Communication Registrar's Office, Cooperative Registrar's Office, Cooperative Training Center).

7 offices will be under the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Planning (Ministry, Province Treasury Controller Office, and 5 Province Treasury Unit Offices), and 27 offices will be arranged under the Ministry of Industry, Tourism, Labor and Transport. The cabinet meeting has abolished the Directorate of Industry, Commerce and Consumer Interest in the province.

Similarly, 60 offices will be under the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Forest and Environment, 20 offices under the Ministry of Water Supply, Energy and Irrigation, 53 offices under the Ministry of Health and Social Development, and 17 bodies will be arranged under the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development. The name of the Directorate of Transport Infrastructure under the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development has been changed to Directorate of Infrastructure Development.

Which Ministry Will Have Which Office?