Cabinet Decisions: Dr Bhatta Appointed NPC Vice Chair, Pandit NRB Deputy Governor

Dr Gunakar Bhatta has been appointed as the Vice Chair of the National Planning Commission, according to a Cabinet decision made today.

A meeting of the Council of Ministers, held today at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, agreed to appoint Dr Bhatta to the post, Minister for Federal Affairs and General Administration Pratibha Rawal told the media.

Similarly, the meeting appointed Nepal Rastra Bank’s Executive Director Kiran Pandit as the Deputy Governor of the NRB.

The meeting also decided to provide a 50 percent concession on customs duties for the import of petrol, diesel, and kerosene, as well as on the infrastructure development tax.

She further said, “It has been necessary for the government to adjust the prices of petroleum products in line with international prices. The government does not hide this fact.”

According to her, the country incurred losses of nearly Rs 11.72 billion in the past 15 days in the transactions of petroleum products. To address the situation, the government has implemented policies such as declaring Sundays as public holidays, encouraging the public to follow the odd and even number plate system for vehicle operation, and promoting the use of electric vehicles and ethanol, the Minister added.

Similarly, the meeting of the Council of Ministers has decided to accept the concessional loan of 85 million US dollars to be provided by the World Bank for the Greater Lumbini Area Development Project.

The Cabinet has decided to shift the Energy and Water Resources Research Centre based in Pulchowk, Lalitpur to Godavari in Lalitpur, and to move the office of the Water and Energy Commission to the Centre’s building at Pulchowk.

The government has decided to accept the resignation tendered from their post by Chairperson of the Problematic Cooperatives Management Committee, Shreeman Kumar Gautam and Members Lalita Kumari Maharjan and Dhruba Acharya.

Likewise, the meeting of the Council of Ministers has given approval for acquisition of the private land at Dhunibesi in the west section of the Nagdhunga Tunnelway and at Uttargaya Rural Municipality along the Betrawati-Dhunche-Syaphrubesi road section of the Pasang Lhamu Highway, towards infrastructure development.

The Cabinet meeting has also decided to allow the use of a total of 46.39 hectares of forest land in Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Makwanpur for the construction of the Kathmandu-Tarai-Madhes Expressway and to permit the felling of 18,898 trees. (RSS)