Hetauda, Oct 18: The ruling Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-UML have agreed to reduce the number of ministries in Bagmati Province from 14 to 7. The decision comes amid growing pressure to curb administrative expenses and improve governance following the Gen Z protests.

When Bagmati Province was first formed, it had only seven ministries. But coalition power-sharing deals over the years had pushed the number up to 14. The two major ruling parties now say the province must return to its original structure. Chief Minister Indra Bahadur Baniya’s secretariat said the move could save more than Rs 50 million annually.

Officials acknowledged that earlier coalitions were forced to expand ministries to accommodate multiple parties. With only two major forces now in government, they say such expansion is unnecessary. While the government describes the step as a cost-cutting measure, it also reflects the current political balance between Congress and UML.

Congress parliamentary secretary Meen Krishna Maharjan said both parties agreed during their joint meeting to limit the ministries to seven. A high-level committee led by Agriculture Minister Madhusudan Poudel will study which ministries to merge and submit recommendations before a final decision.

The opposition CPN (Maoist Centre) had also been pressing for a downsizing. Maoist leader Shalikram Jammkattel said past expansions were political mistakes made under coalition pressure. “Seven ministries are enough for Bagmati. We must correct the past,” he said.

Since its establishment in 2017, Bagmati has repeatedly expanded and merged ministries to sustain fragile coalitions, burdening the provincial treasury. Previous chief ministers had increased the number as high as 14, later reducing it temporarily to 11 or 12.

Implementing the reduction now poses challenges. Adjusting employees, budgets, and office structures under the Provincial Civil Service Act could prove complex, and merging departments may create overlapping duties and slower service delivery. Political friction is also expected over which ministries to retain and who will lose their ministerial positions, as seven current ministers would have to step down.