BUTWAL: The Lumbini Province government has reshuffled its Cabinet, with Chief Minister Chet Narayan Acharya recommending the appointment of three new ministers from the Nepali Communist Party (NCP).

The reshuffle has been carried out in accordance with Article 168(9) of the Constitution of Nepal. Chief Minister Acharya submitted the recommendation to the province chief along with the allocation of ministerial portfolios.

Dipendra Kumar Pun has been appointed Minister for Health, Indrajit Tharu has been given the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Planning, and Krishna Kushma Tharu has been appointed Minister for Agriculture, Land Management and Cooperatives.

The newly appointed ministers are scheduled to take the oath of office and secrecy at the Office of the Province Chief in Butwal at 3 pm on Tuesday.

Under the new portfolio allocation, Tulsi Prasad Chaudhary has been assigned the Ministry of Forests, Environment and Tourism; Ramji Prasad Ghimire the Ministry of Social Development; Santosh Kumar Pandey the Ministry of Urban Development, Energy, Irrigation and Water Supply; Ratna Bahadur Khatri the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development; and Bhandarilal Ahir the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Law, Industry and Transport.

Ghimire, who previously headed the Ministry of Health, has been transferred to the Ministry of Social Development.

Chaudhary, who was previously responsible for the Ministry of Agriculture, Land Management and Cooperatives, has been assigned the Forests, Environment and Tourism portfolio.

Similarly, Pandey, who previously served as Minister for Social Development, has been assigned the Ministry of Urban Development, Energy, Irrigation and Water Supply.

The Cabinet reshuffle follows an agreement to form the provincial government with four ministers, including the Chief Minister, from the CPN-UML, three ministers from the Nepali Communist Party and two ministers from the Janata Samajbadi Party, Nepal.