KATHMANDU: The government has reduced the number of ministries to 18.
The Government of Nepal (Allocation of Business) Regulations, 2026, which the cabinet approved on Monday, paved the way for the restructuring of ministries.
According to the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation has been created by separating science and technology functions from the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology. Similarly, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forest and Environment has been created by merging the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development and the Ministry of Forest and Environment.
Likewise, Ministry of Health and Population is now Ministry of Health and Food Security, Ministry of Communication and IT is now Ministry of Information and Communication, Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security is now Ministry of Youth, Labor and Employment, Minsitry of Women, Childre and Social Welfare is now Ministry of Women, Children, Geneder and Sexual Minorities and Social Security, Ministry of Physical Infrasutructure and Transport is now Ministry of Infrastructure Development, while two ministries have been merged to form MInistry of Land, Cooperative, Federal Affairs and General Administration.
The cabinet currently has 15 members, with Prime Minister Balendra Shah also handling the Defence and Home portfolios.
List of Ministries:
- Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers
- Ministry of Finance
- Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies
- Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation
- Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs
- Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Environment
- Ministry of Home Affairs
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Ministry of Infrastructure Development
- Ministry of Land, Cooperatives, Federal Affairs and General Administration
- Ministry of Women, Children, Gender and Sexual Minorities, and Social Security
- Ministry of Youth, Labor and Employment
- Ministry of Defence
- Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation
- Ministry of Education and Sports
- Ministry of Information and Communication
- Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation
- Ministry of Health and Food Security

Himal Press