Nepal has decided to host the fourth Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec) Summit this year. A Cabinet meeting on Friday, however, did not disclose the date and venue for the meeting.

Nepal will officially propose the date at a meeting of senior officials from the 

member states to be convened in Kathmandu on February 5-7. Nepal is the current 

chair of the seven-member regional grouping. Nepal, India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Myanmar are the member states.

The Cabinet meeting also decided to appoint former Tribhuvan University rector Mahendra Singh as an expert on the Vice-chairperson Selection Committee of the Poverty Alleviation Fund.

Shailendra Giri has been appointed the executive director of Nepal Administrative Staff College, Jawalakhel and Prakash Mathema the secretary. The meeting formed a three-member committee headed by Special Court former chair Gauri Bahadur Karki to enforce the agreements reached between the government and the TU Teaching Hospital’s senior orthopaedist Dr Govinda KC. The committee includes Bir Hospital former registrar Dr Shree Krishna Giri as member and Joint-secretary at the Education Ministry as the member secretary.

The government decided to widen the North-South Trade Route that includes the Bhedetar-Rabi section and stretches on the Bhalubang-Lamahi-Gorahi Tulsipur road project. Works to establish the project offices for Gandak Canal and Mahakali Master Plan would be expedited.