DEUKHURI: The capital of Lumbini Province is to be shifted from Butwal to Deukhuri of Rapti Valley.

Nine ministries, including the Office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers, are to be moved to Deukhuri in the coming fiscal year 2021/22 as per the decision of the Province Assembly (PA) to shift the provincial capital to Deukhuri from Butwal.

The Lumbissd government has already started its activities officially from Deukhuri. Rural and Urban Development Minister Hari Prasad Rijal said that all ministries would be shifted to Deukhuri till the time of the winter session of the PA.

A PA meeting held on October 6, 2020, decided to pick Deukhuri as its capital as well as naming Province 5 as Lumbini Province.

At a news conference organized on the occasion of beginning its activities from Deukhuri, Minister Rijal expressed the belief that all the ministries should be shifted at Deukhuri soon as the construction of PA is completed. Similarly, construction of physical infrastructures required for Rapti Technical School is underway as an agreement has already reached to shift the technical school at Gobardiha.

He shared, “We have started activities from Deukhuri as it is the responsibility of the Rural and Urban Development to manage all offices. We have also started activities to shift Internal Affairs and Law Ministry, Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry at the permanent capital, Deukhuri, within few days.”

Minister Rijal further said that Deukhuri is located at a convenient place for all districts of the province and naturally best for the capital. A Province Assembly building is under construction in Rapti Technical School premises at a cost of more than Rs 50 million. Preparation has been made to conduct winter session of the Lumbini Province Assembly in this building, he added. RSS