Nepal PM expands cabinet for 10th time, inducts two ministers

KATHMANDU: Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Tuesday expanded his cabinet as he inducted a minister and a state minister and assigned them portfolios that were vacant for a long time. In the 10th cabinet expansion, Nepal PM Dahal aka Prachanda inducted two members from the Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP), the Office of President said in a release issued on Tuesday.

According to the release from Nepal President's Office, Dahal appointed Birendra Prasad Mahato and Pramila Kumari Yadav of JSP today. Birendra Prasad Mahato has been given the responsibility of the Ministry of Forests and Environment while Pramila Kumari has been given the portfolio of the Ministry of State for Education, Science, and Technology.

With the induction of two ministers, Nepal PM's cabinet is complete. Earlier this month, Nepal PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal inducted three more ministers into his cabinet. It was the ninth expansion of the council of ministers in five months since he took office in December last year following general elections.

Nepal President Ramchandra Paudel assigned ministerial portfolios to Dhan Raj Gurung, Mohan Bahadur Basnet and Digbahadur Limbu. Gurung was named as Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Basnet will look after Health and Population and Limbu were given the responsibility of Ministry for Youth and Sports.

The three ministers belonged to Nepali Congress. The appointments were made on recommendations of Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda, who is into his third stint as Prime Minister. Earlier in March, Pushpa Kamal Dahal reshuffled the cabinet after weeks of hiatus and was only able to induct 11 ministers which included a state minister. The cabinet reshuffle had seen four leaders from Nepali Congress being inducted into the cabinet.

Dahal won a vote of confidence in parliament in March after securing the support of the Nepali Congress party and some other smaller parties. This was the second-floor test after he took over as the Prime Minister of Nepal on December 25.