In a landmark move following its first cabinet meeting, the newly formed government led by Prime Minister Balendra Shah (Balen) of Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has officially released a comprehensive 100-point agenda focused on radical governance reform.
The agenda, passed during Friday’s Council of Ministers meeting and made public on Saturday, outlines a roadmap for transparency, administrative downsizing, and accountability.
The centerpiece of the reform package is the formation of a "Powerful Asset Investigation Committee" within the next 15 days. Operating under the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, the body will be comprised of experts from the legal, finance, revenue, and investigative sectors.
The investigation will be conducted in two distinct phases:
• Phase I: Investigation into the assets of major political figures and high-ranking civil servants who held public office between 2062/63 BS and 2082/83 BS.
• Phase II: A subsequent probe covering officials from the period of 2048 BS to 2061/62 BS.
Streamlining Governance: Ministries Reduced to 17
In an effort to curb administrative inflation and improve efficiency, the Balen administration has pledged to reduce the number of federal ministries from 22 down to 17.
The government has set a 30-day deadline to amend the Government of Nepal (Division of Work) Regulations, 2074 to reflect this new structure. Officials stated that while the number of ministries will shrink, promotion arrangements and personnel management will be handled carefully to ensure that frontline service delivery remains uninterrupted.
This bold start by the RSP-led government signals a significant shift in the country's political landscape, placing anti-corruption measures and lean governance at the forefront of their mandate.
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