Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has assured that the new Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) will be appointed by Thursday. Dr. Gunakar Bhatta is expected to take over as the 18th Governor of the central bank.
A consensus between the ruling Nepali Congress and CPN (UML) on appointing Bhatta was reached earlier, leading to his resignation as NRB’s Executive Director on April 18. However, his resignation has not yet been approved, as acting Governor Dr. Neelam Dhungana has reportedly put it on hold.
During a meeting between PM Oli and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba on Sunday, Deuba raised concerns over the delay in the Oli assured that Bhatta’s resignation would be approved by Wednesday and that he would be appointed as the next NRB governor on Thursday.
The recommendation committee, headed by Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel, has yet to convene to finalize the names for the Governor’s position. The committee faced delays after former Governor Bijaya Nath Bhattarai resigned on April 23, and ex-Governor Maha Prasad Adhikari was later appointed as a member.
Since April 7, NRB has been has been headless. Sources indicate that Dr. Bhatta remains the top choice, with Deuba confirming the appointment process is nearing completion.
The Finance Minister-led committee is expected to recommend three names, from which the Cabinet will select the new governor.
.
