KATHMANDU: The government led by Balen Shah of the Rastriya Swatantra Party has unveiled a series of major administrative reform decisions.
According to decisions made at the first cabinet meeting on Friday, the government plans to streamline the federal structure, simplify administrative procedures, and abolish party-affiliated trade unions.
Key decisions
1. Cabinet to be reduced from 25 to 17 members
The government has decided to reduce the number of ministries in the federal cabinet from 25 to 17 within 30 days.
To implement the change:
The Government of Nepal Work Allocation Regulations-2074, will be amended.
Staff management will be adjusted in a way that does not disrupt service delivery.
A Restructuring Management Secretariat will be formed to reorganize personnel, budgets, and programmes during the transition.
2. Process reforms within 30 days
To simplify public service delivery and remove bureaucratic delays:
Unnecessary procedures in public agencies will be eliminated.
Approval layers for decisions will be limited to a maximum of three levels.
Business Process Reengineering (BPR) will be implemented.
Drafts for necessary legal amendments will be prepared within 30 days.
3. Abolish or merge redundant boards and committees
The government will evaluate unproductive or overlapping structures.
A high-level task force will be formed.
The task force will submit its report within one month.
4. Abolition of party-affiliated trade unions
To reduce political influence in public administration:
Civil servants, teachers, and professors will be barred from party affiliations.
Violations will lead to strict departmental action.
A federal civil service bill to abolish party-based trade unions will be introduced within 45 days.
The government said these measures are the initial steps under its broader governance reform framework titled “100 Blueprints for Governance Reform.”
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