Kathmandu, February 6
The National Youth Association has blocked the way to the office of the state chief. The youth association has blocked the way for the swearing in of the new minister.
Chief Minister of State 1 Rajendra Rai is expanding his cabinet today. The swearing in of the new eight ministers is taking place in the office of the state chief. After getting ready to take oath, the youth association obstructed the way to the office of the state chief.
UML has been protesting after splitting the seven ministries of Province 1 into 13. Mukesh
Budathoki, central treasurer of the youth association, said that the way to the office of the
state chief for taking oath was blocked due to increasing financial burden.
Whose responsibility?
Rajendra Rai, who was appointed as the Chief Minister of Province 1 three months ago, is
expanding the Council of Ministers today. Three from the Nepali Congress, three from the CPN-U and two from the UCPN (Maoist) will be sworn in.
Shekhar Chandra Thapa of Morang, Omprakash Sarawgi of Jhapa and Pratap Prakash
Hongmang of Taplejung are being added to the cabinet of Province 1, which has a six-member cabinet including the Minister of State.
Upendra Ghimire of Morang, Rajan Rai of Khotang and Khinu Langwa Limbu of Ilam will be the ministers from the CPN-U. Rai will handle the Ministry of Social Development.
According to a source close to the Chief Minister, the incumbent Social Development Minister Jayaram Yadav will be given the responsibility of Health Minister. Limbu will be in charge of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture and Ghimire will be in charge of
the new Ministry of Communications and Cooperatives.
Thapa is preparing to give the responsibility of the Ministry of Forest, Environment and Land Conservation to the Ministry of Industry, Labor and Employment and the Ministry of Land and Transport Management to Hangam.
Ram Kumar Rai of Khotang and Jhalaksingh Darlami Magar of Jhapa will become ministers from the CPN-Maoist center. Rai will be in charge of the Ministry of Irrigation, Drinking Water and Energy and Darlami will be in charge of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development.
Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning Indra Bahadur Angbo and Minister for Internal
Affairs and Law Kedar Karki are still in office.
The alliance is preparing to give the responsibility of the Ministry of Health and Physical
Infrastructure Development to Jayaram Yadav and Himal Karki to the Ministry of Roads,
Infrastructure and Urban Development.
According to a source close to the Chief Minister, Bishnumaya Tumbahamphe, the leader of the Federal Democratic National Forum, will be the Minister of State.
By Karuna Thapa
