KATHNMANDU, June 8: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba formed an eight-member small cabinet on Wednesday, appointing all old faces and mostly repeat ministerial appointees.
Deuba has appointed 12-times former minister Bijay Kumar Gachchhadar, four-times former minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara and former minister Gopal Man Shrestha as his three deputy prime ministers.
Mahara, who leads major ruling ally CPN (Maoist Center) in the Deuba cabinet, has been appointed minister for foreign affairs with the rank of DPM. Similarly, Janardan Sharma, who is minister for home affairs, and Prabhu Sah, minister without portfolio, are in Deuba's cabinet from the Maoist party.
Senior NC leader Shrestha has been appointed minister for education with the rank of DPM. Deuba appointed Gyanendra Bahadur Karki as finance minister and Farmullah Mansoor as minister for labor and employment from his own party. Likewise, Nepal Loktantrik Forum Chairman Gachchhadar has been appointed deputy prime minister with the portfolio of federal affairs. Gachchhadar has already served as DPM four times since the people's movement in 2006.
Sharma has served previously as minister for peace and reconstruction as well as energy and Sah as law and justice minister . Likewise, Karki has headed the irrigation ministry and Mansoor the science and technology minister.
None of the women leaders have been inducted in Deuba's first cabinet.
New faces dominate expanded cabinet
President Bidya Bhandari administrated the oath of office to Deuba along with the seven other ministers at her office, Wednesday afternoon. Deuba assumed office later the same day and took his first decision to draft a public-sector good conduct policy. "He has decided to draft the public-sector good conduct policy and asked us to submit it," said Chief Secretary Som Lal Subedi. Likewise, Deuba also decided to establish a secretariat of the inter-provincial council at office of the prime minister. There is a constitutional provision for forming ian nter-provincial council headed by the prime minister.
Deuba held his first cabinet meeting immediately after assuming office and decided to expedite the constitution implementation process, the peace process, post-quake reconstruction and the holding of the remaining elections provisioned in the new constitution on the slated dates.
"The cabined discussed about the priorities of the government, which are implementation of the new constitution and managing the political transition, concluding the second phase local polls on the slated date and holding elections for the provincial assemblies and central parliament prior to January 21 2018," Finance Minister Karki said.
Expediting reconstruction work, making service delivery effective, prioritizing economic prosperity, ensuring peace and security, easing the import of livelihood-related goods and concluding the peace process were also discussed, it is stated.
