Kathmandu. A meeting of the Council of Ministers led by Prime Minister Balendra Shah has decided to reduce the number of ministries from 22 to 18.
The government has said that the number of federal ministries has been reduced to control current expenditure and make the government’s performance more effective. A meeting of the Council of Ministers held on Wednesday approved the ‘Government of Nepal (Division of Work) Regulations, 2083’ and decided to reduce the number of ministries.
The Ministry of Finance, Home Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Defense, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation and Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation have been retained.
Similarly, the government has formed a separate ‘Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation’ to look after the works related to new innovations by taking science and technology from the then Ministry of Education.
Independent lawmaker Mahabir Pun had expressed his ire in the parliament saying science and technology were not in the government’s priority and the word ‘science’ was not included in the policy. Minister Pun’s demands are to be addressed as the government has formed a new ministry for innovation.
