New Budget for Bagmati Province to Follow Administrative Restructuring; Suggestions Requested Within 15 Days
The Bagmati Province government is preparing to carry out administrative restructuring before drafting the budget for the fiscal year 2082/83. Chief Minister Indrabahadur Baniya has proposed a plan to establish seven ministries and reduce 701 staff positions. A committee of former secretaries has recommended that eight ministries, including the Chief Minister’s Office, are necessary, and has advised limiting the number of directorates.
The Bagmati Province government is conducting intensive discussions and internal preparations for provincial administrative restructuring. Ahead of the upcoming fiscal year’s budget formulation, the government plans to prioritize administrative restructuring. The ruling Nepali Congress held discussions on Thursday evening with its coalition partner, the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist), concerning restructuring matters. Chief Minister Baniya has proposed maintaining seven ministries outside the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers office, consolidating seven directorates into two under these ministries, and abolishing five directorates altogether, alongside cutting 701 staff positions.
Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning, Prabhat Tamang, informed that during Thursday’s talks between the UML and Nepali Congress, consensus was reached on the number of ministries and the administrative structure. The Nepali Congress had decided in a parliamentary party meeting on 17 Chaitra to abolish certain ministries and subordinate bodies. Minister Tamang clarified that budget ceilings will only be established after the restructuring is completed. He stated, “Since the budget ceiling will be finalized only after restructuring, there might be some delay, but I am urging that the process be expedited.”
The Provincial Administrative Restructuring Review and Suggestion Committee, comprising former secretaries, submitted its report on 27 Falgun recommending the necessity of eight ministries including the Chief Minister’s office. The high-level steering committee, formed on 11 Kartik, had created an expert team of former secretaries from the Government of Nepal. The government led by Chief Minister Baniya formed a high-level steering committee chaired by Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Madhusudan Paudel, to oversee administrative restructuring.
Coordinator Paudel stated that the committee has sent correspondence to all provincial ministries and related committees of the provincial assembly requesting suggestions within 15 days, by 7 Baishakh. He also informed that after receiving these suggestions, the government will make the necessary decisions regarding restructuring.
