Finance Ministry Reshuffles Four Senior Joint Secretaries

The Ministry of Finance has reshuffled the responsibilities of four senior joint secretaries as part of efforts to make the administration more efficient and effective. Joint Secretary Dhaniram Sharma, who was serving as chief of the International Economic Relations Division, is set to join the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Manila as an Alternate Executive Director following the Cabinet’s decision to nominate him for the position. After Sharma’s departure, Joint Secretary Amrit Lamsal, who previously headed the Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Division, has been assigned responsibility for the International Economic Relations Division, which oversees foreign aid coordination. Joint Secretary Kavita Regmi Poudyal has been appointed chief of the Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Division and has also been given the responsibility of ministry spokesperson. Meanwhile, Joint Secretary Devraj Joshi, who recently transferred from Sudurpashchim Province to the Finance Ministry, has been appointed head of the Economic Policy Analysis Division. Although the ministry has separated the Economic Policy Analysis Division from the Fiscal Federalism Coordination Division, the latter currently remains without a chief. The reshuffle is expected to strengthen the ministry’s policy analysis, foreign aid mobilization, and planning and implementation efforts.