Nepal Foreign Affairs (KATHMANDU, 26 Feb 2018) – Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has expanded his cabinet by inducting four ministers on Monday.
PM Oli appointed Ishwar Pokharel as Defense Minister, Dr Yubaraj Khatiwada as Finance Minister, Ram Bahadur Thapa as Home Minister and Matrika Yadav as Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies.
Among the four newly appointed ministers, three are senior leaders of the left alliance and Dr. Khatiwada is a technocrat. Khatiwada is Former Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank and former Vice-Chairman of National Planning Commission.
He had executed strict measures in real-estate business during his tenure as Governor. A PHD in monetary policy, Dr. Khatiwada was one, who involved in preparing election manifesto of left alliance.
The other three minsters are not only seniors in their parties, they are known for their action and fair in image. Defence Minister Pokherel is General Secretary of CPN-UML, who had opted for Finance Ministry but later contented in Defence ministry.
President Bidya Devi Bhandari administered the oath of office and secrecy to the newly appointed ministers at Sheetal Niwas, Maharajgunj, Kathmandu on Tuesday.
With the induction of four new ministers, the Cabinet now has seven ministers including Prime Minister. After his appointment as PM on February 15, Oli had formed a small Cabinet by appointing Lal Babu Pandit as Minister for Population and Environment and Tham Maya Thapa as Minister for Women Children and Social Welfare.
Though, Khatiwada has been appointed as the Finance Minister from National Assembly, the Supreme Court on Sunday had issued a short-term interim order directing the government to not administer the oath of office and secrecy to the newly nominated three members of the National Assembly by the KP Sharma Oli-led government.