The extended Council of Ministers has Deuba as the Prime Minister, Bal Krishna Khand (Minister for Home Affairs), Gyanendra Bahadur Karki (Communication and Information Technology), Pampha Bhusal (Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation), Rajendra Prasad Shrestha (Federal Affairs and General Administration), Birodh Khatiwada (Health and Population) and Janardan Sharma (Finance).
Other faces in the Deuba-led cabinet are Dr Minendra Prasad Rijal (Defence), Umakant Chaudhary (Water Supplies), Dr Narayan Khadka (Foreign Affairs), Renu Kumari Yadav (Physical Infrastructure and Transport), Prem Bahadur Ale (Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation), Dilendra Prasad Badu (Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs) and Devendra Poudel (Education, Science and Technology).
Likewise, Mahendra Raya Yadav (Agriculture and Livestock Development), Uma Regmi (Women, Children and Senior Citizens), Shashi Shrestha (Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation), Ram Kumari Jhankri (Urban Development), Gajendra Bahadur Hamal (Industry, Commerce and Supplies), Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav (Forest and Environment), Krishna Kumar Shrestha (Labour, Employment and Social Security), Maheshwor Jung Gahatraj (Youth and Sports) have been inducted in the Council of Ministers.
According to the press statement issued by the Office of the President, Umesh Shrestha (Minister of State, Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers), Bhawani Prasad Khapung (Minister of State, Health and Population) and Bodhmaya Kumari Yadav (Minister of State, Education, Science and Technology) have been appointed in the Council of Ministers.
Newly appointed ministers take oath of office and secrecy
President Bidya Devi Bhandari administered the oath of office and secrecy to all the newly appointed ministers at a function organised at Sheetal Niwas on Friday.
Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba expanded the cabinet today itself.
Vice-President Nanda Bahadur Pun, Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota, National Assembly Chairperson Ganesh Prasad Timilsina, chiefs of constitutional bodies, Chief Secretary and Chief of Army Staffs, among others were present on the occasion.
Chairperson of CPN (Maoist Centre), Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda', Chairperson of CPN (Unified Socialist), Madhav Kumar Nepal, and Chairperson of Janata Samajbadi Party, Upendra Yadav, had also attended the programme.
The newly expanded cabinet has got 11new faces. The government formed under the leadership of Nepali Congress President, Sher Bahadur Deuba, has been expanded for the fourth time.
A total of nine ministers including one state minister from NC, six ministers including one state minister from CPN (Maoist Centre), five ministers including one state minister from CPN (Unified Socialist), and four ministers from Janata Samajbadi Party are in the cabinet.
