Himal Press 
POKHARA: In a bid to cut administrative expenses, the Gandaki Province Government has decided to significantly reduce its workforce by dissolving nine offices and merging 32 others into 17.
Additionally, 185 technical, non-technical, and subordinate posts have been abolished. Officials say this move aims to lower administrative costs.
Chief Minister Surendra Raj Pandey announced the decision at a press conference following a cabinet meeting on Monday.
The decision follows the implementation of the “Provincial Administrative Structure Review Study and Recommendation Committee Report,” which recommended abolishing, merging, and restructuring various bodies in the first phase.
Pandey claimed the decision would immediately reduce the financial burden by Rs 500 million. Addressing public concerns about the province’s costly administrative structure and rising expenses, he clarified that administrative costs are being reduced gradually. He added that the government can still function effectively with a streamlined structure.
The provincial government has decided to dissolve all seven directorates under various ministries. These included Tourism; Industry, Commerce and Consumer Protection; Agricultural Development; Infrastructure Development; Forest; Education Development; and Provincial Health directorates.
Similarly, the Provincial Health Training Center and Provincial Health Supply Management Center under the health ministry were also abolished. Their responsibilities will now be managed by branches and divisions under the ministries.
The provincial government also merged 32 agencies into 17. Offices for Industry, Tourism, and Community Development in 11 districts of the province have been consolidated, with one office overseeing two districts, reducing 12 offices to six. Similarly, agricultural knowledge centers and veterinary hospitals in Manang and Mustang were merged into a single office. Similarly, the tuberculosis center and health laboratory have also been merged.
The highest number of scrapped positions, 57, were in the health ministry. Similarly, one position has been abolished in the Gandaki Provincial Assembly Secretariat; three in Provincial Policy and Planning Commission; nine in Ministry of Industry and Tourism; 14 in Ministry for Energy, Water Resources and Water Supply; and seven in Ministry for Physical Infrastructure Development and Transport.
Additionally, the cabinet has decided to scrap 32 positions in the Ministry of Forest and Environment; 24 in the Ministry of Social Development, Youth and Sports; 57 in the Ministry of Health; 25 in the Ministry of Agriculture, Land Management, and Cooperatives; and 13 in the Office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers.
The provincial government had formed a three-member committee under Sharad Chandra Paudel to conduct a detailed study of the regular provincial administrative structure, including ministries, directorates, division offices, district-level and other offices. Achyut Lamichhane and Maheshwar Narasingh KC were other members of the committee.
The committee submitted its report to the Chief Minister after a two-month study.
When the committee was formed, there were seven directorates and nine directorate-level offices under six ministries of the provincial government. Likewise, there were 27 division offices, 99 district-level offices, two project offices, 10 other offices, and 10 offices formed under provincial acts, formation orders, and executive orders.
