Pokhara, September 2
Four ministers appointed from the CPN-UML in Gandaki Province have taken their oaths of office. The ministers, led by UML Central Accounts Commission member Padma GC, were sworn in by Provincial Chief Dilliratna Bhatta.
Padma GC from Nawalpur took the oath as the Minister of Agriculture, Land Management, and Cooperatives; Krishna Pathak from Baglung as the Minister of Health; Mitralal Basyal from Parbat as the Minister of Industry and Tourism; and Prakash Bahadur KC from Kaski as the Minister of Physical Infrastructure and Transport Management.
After increasing the number of ministries in Gandaki Province from seven to nine, UML was allocated four ministries. The Health Ministry was created by splitting the Social Development Ministry, while the previously combined Industry, Tourism, and Forest and Environment Ministries were separated into two distinct ministries.
Former Minister of Physical Infrastructure and Transport Management, Deepak Manange, has been reassigned to the Ministry of Forest and Environment. With the swearing-in of the four ministers, the Gandaki Cabinet is now complete.
Phanindra Devkota from the Nepal Socialist Party retains his ministry, while Congress members Dr Takaraj Gurung and Bindu Kumar Thapa continue as Ministers of Economic Affairs and Social Development, respectively, alongside Chief Minister Pandey.
The Gandaki Cabinet reached its full strength two months after the central alliance between Congress and UML was formed.
