Biratnagar, May 18: Chief Minister of Koshi Province, Hikmat Kumar Karki, has inducted seven ministers: five full and two ministers of state in his Cabinet.
The new ministers are Rajendra Karki (health), Panchkarna Rai (social development), Ekraj Karki (water supplies, irrigation, and energy), Narayan Magar (tourism, forest and environment) and Leela Bhallab Adhikari (internal affairs and law).
Similarly, Sirjana Rai (minister of state at the Office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers) and Bandana Jhangar (minister of state for tourism, forest, and environment) were appointed by Province Chief Parashuram Khapung on May 17 on the recommendation of the Chief Minister. The appointments were made in accordance with Article 168 (9) of the Constitution.
The ministers took an oath of office and secrecy before Province Chief Khapung amidst a ceremony at the Office of the Province Chief, Biratnagar this evening.
Likewise, ministers of state Rai and Jhangar were sworn in by the Chief Minister who formed the government on May 9.
Similarly, Ram Bahadur Magar and Ganesh Prasad Upreti who were appointed the ministers without portfolios earlier were given the responsibilities of the ministry of economic affairs and planning and the ministry of physical infrastructure, respectively.
Speaker Ambar Bahadur Bista, Province Assembly (PA) secretary Gopal Prasad Parajuli, secretaries of various ministries, chiefs of security agencies, and political leaders among others were present at the oath-taking ceremony.
