Kathmandu: Nepal’s interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki on Sunday announced the third cabinet expansion by inducting two new ministers into her government. President Ramchandra Poudel administered the oath of office to the ministers at a special ceremony. This move seeks to inject new energy and administrative stability into Nepal’s interim government.
According to sources in the President’s Office, Bablu Gupta and Sudha Gautam were sworn in on the Prime Minister’s recommendation. Bablu Gupta was given charge of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, while Sudha Gautam was given responsibility for the Ministry of Health and Population. This brings the total number of ministers in the cabinet to ten.
Why was the cabinet expansion carried out?
This cabinet expansion is significant because Sushila Karki was appointed interim Prime Minister on September 12th following the resignation of then-Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli. The recent two-day Generation Z protest activities in September highlighted the political instability in the country. The government hopes to improve public engagement and expedite administrative work with the new appointments.
This is why new ministers were inducted
Sushila Karki will lead the government as interim Prime Minister until the next general elections. Nepal’s general elections are expected to be held on March 5th. During this period, the government’s primary objectives will be to maintain administrative stability, address public concerns, and ensure a successful election process. The induction of new ministers will increase government activity, with special attention expected to be given to the youth and health sectors.
Government Priorities
Experts believe that the appointments of Bablu Gupta and Sudha Gautam could provide new direction to the government’s social and youth policies. The Ministry of Youth and Sports will focus on building a new, empowered youth for the country, while the Ministry of Health and Population will work on improving health services and population control. This move is seen as part of a strategy to increase the government’s effectiveness and maintain public confidence until the upcoming elections.