New Council of Ministers in Sudurpaschim province

Chief of Sudurpaschim Province, Devraj Joshi on Friday has, on the recommendation of newly-appointed Chief Minister Kamal Bahadur Shah and per Article 168 of the Constitution, formed the Council of Ministers and designated portfolios.

According to the portfolio division, Kamal Bahadur Shah has been designated the chief minister along with the minister for internal affairs, industry, tourism, forest and environment, land management, agriculture, and cooperative, and social development; Prakash Bahadur Deuba was entrusted with the responsibility of the ministry of physical infrastructure development and Naresh Kumar Shahi the ministry of economic affairs.

Chief Minister Shah constituted the council of ministers by incorporating province assembly members from the Nepali Congress and CPN (Unified Socialist) in the first phase.

Newly-appointed Minister for Physical Infrastructure Development Deuba was elected the province assembly member from Kailali district and Minister for Economic Affairs Shahi was elected from Bajura district in the last November 20 election.

Also today, Chief Joshi separately administered the oath of office and secrecy to the newly-appointed Chief Minister and other ministers.

Meanwhile, CM Shah assumed office at the office of the chief minister and council of ministers today itself. Taking charge of the office amidst a program, Chief Minister Shah took the first decision to implement the plan for corruption control based on the provincial action plan for the same.

On journalists' query, he pledged to work in a way that the people would realize change. He expressed his optimism that his government would secure the vote of confidence in the provincial assembly.

The new minister duo also assumed office at the designated ministries today.

Province Chief Joshi on Thursday appointed the parliamentary leader of the largest party of the province assembly Nepali Congress, Shah, as the chief minister in line with Article 168 of the Constitution.

In the 53-member province assembly, NC has 19 members, Maoist Centre (10) excluding the Speaker, CPN-UML (10) Nagarik Unmukti Party (7), CPN (Unified Socialist) seven and RPP and Independent have one member each.

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