15 new Ministers inducted into Nepal cabinet

{image-nepa 21_01092008.jpg news.oneindia.in}Kathmandu, Sep 1: Nepalese Prime Minister Prachanda on Sunday, Aug 31 expanded the cabinet by including 15 new ministers representing Maoist, Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) and some more parties amid a ceremony at the Presidential residence in the presence of President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav.

After ten days since the formation of the government, the cabinet finally got its complete shape. According to the agreement between and betwixt the coalition partners on Saturday, Aug 30 Bamadev Gautam of the CPN-UML has been appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister holding second top most position after the Prime Minister. The cabinet expansion was finalised on Saturday after the three major coalition partners —CPN-Maoist, UML and Madhesi People"s Rights Forum (MPRF)—reached an understanding that UML will hold the second hierarchical position in the government after the Prime Minister.

However, the parties had reached an understanding to keep three Deputy Prime Ministers on Saturday. Earlier the Maoists finalised six more names from their side for nomination.

Like wise, the expanded cabinet includes Girirajmani Pokhrel of the People"s Front Nepal and Rajendra Mahato of the Sadbhawana Party and Ganesh Sah of the CPN-United.

Earlier, the cabinet meeting that was held to decided to form three new ministries. According to Kantipur, the meeting decided to form the new ministries under the name of Commerce and Supplies, Youth and Sports, and Culture and State Reformation, Minister for Communication Krishna Bahadur Mahara, who is also the government spokesperson informed.

Similarly, the cabinet has also decided to change the name of Ministry of Law and Parliamentary Affairs to the Law and Constituent Assembly.

Meanwhile, the cabinet meeting decided to scrap the system of drawing allowances for foreign tours of the ministers. The government will now on bear only the real expenses of its ministers in foreign tour.

ANI