Min Bahadur Shrestha has stepped down from the post of vice chairman (VC) at the National Planning Commission (NPC), the apex body that frames the country’s development plans and policies. He tendered his resignation to Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on Monday. Vice chairpersons of the NPC generally resign following change in the government.

However, Shrestha had assumed the post even after installation of a new government almost two months ago, as the coalition partners of the new government had not changed. His resignation indicates PM Deuba’s wish to appoint his candidate to the post. Shrestha was appointed as NPC’s VC in September 2016. Prior to his appointment at the NPC, Shrestha had served the Nepal Rastra Bank, the central bank, for 28 years. He also assumed the post of the executive director at the Nepal Rastra Bank, heading research and public debt management departments. The post of NPC’s VC is at par with that of a Cabinet minister.