Nepal’s Karki government gets four new ministers - total ministers reached fourteen

PTI, December 12, 2025,  Kathmandu :  Nepal’s Prime Minister Sushila Karki on Friday inducted four new ministers in her cabinet, bringing the strength of the council of ministers to 14.

President Ramchandra Paudel administered the oath of office and secrecy to the four newly appointed ministers of the interim government at a ceremony in the Office of the President.

The newly appointed ministers are Shraddha Shrestha, Madhav Chaulagain, Rajendra Singh Bhandari and Kumar Ingnam, according to officials at the Prime Minister's Office.

Shraddha Shrestha has been appointed as the Minister for Women, Children and Senior Citizens, Madhav Chaulagain has got the portfolio of Forest and Environment, while Rajendra Singh Bhandari got the portfolio of Labour and Social Security, and Kumar Ingnam has got the portfolio of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation.

It is the fourth time that Prime Minister Sushila Karki has expanded her Cabinet.

Vice President Ramsahay Prasad Yadav, Prime Minister Sushila Karki and Chief Justice Prakashman Singh Raut, among others, attended the swearing-in ceremony.

Agencies: In an official ceremony held today, President Ram Chandra Paudel administered the oath of office and secrecy to four newly appointed ministers, marking the fourth expansion of the current government’s Cabinet since its formation. Kumar Singh Ingnam was sworn in as Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation; Rajendra Singh Bhandari as Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security; Madhav Chaulagain as Minister for Forests and Environment; and Shraddha Shrestha as Minister for Women, Children and Senior Citizens.

The solemn ceremony took place in the presence of Vice President Ramsahay Prasad Yadav, Prime Minister Sushila Karki, Chief Justice Prakash Man Singh Raut, Speaker Devraj Ghimire, National Assembly Chair Narayan Prasad Dahal, chiefs of constitutional bodies and senior government officials, underscoring the significance of the new appointments.

Earlier in the day, President Paudel appointed the four ministers upon the recommendation of Prime Minister Karki. Among them, Shraddha Shrestha, previously a senior manager at the Nepal Tourism Board, assumes responsibility for the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens. She formerly led the Board’s ‘Sustainable Tourism’ project, gaining recognition for her work in responsible tourism initiatives.

Kumar Singh Ingnam, now Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation, is known for his academic and literary contributions as a professor and author. The newly appointed Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security, Rajendra Singh Bhandari, is a retired Additional Inspector General of Nepal Police and the founding chief of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), where he played an instrumental role in establishing advanced investigative frameworks.

Madhav Chaulagain, a widely recognised figure in the Karnali region, takes charge of the Ministry of Forests and Environment. He is the author of the book Sapadalakshya Karnali and gained national attention for writing the popular song “Mantha Hu Ma Mantha,” which received acclaim through the “Jurukka Karnali” project.

With the induction of these four ministers, the total number of ministers in the present Cabinet has reached fourteen. The government formed in the aftermath of the Gen-Z Movement of 8 and 9 September has undergone expansions on three earlier occasions—15 September, 22 September and 26 October—reflecting the administration’s continued efforts to consolidate its political and administrative framework.

This latest Cabinet expansion reinforces the government’s commitment to addressing sectoral priorities through individuals with diverse professional backgrounds and longstanding public engagement.