The government formed a four member high-level committee headed by chief secretary Tirtha Man Shakya to recommend the addition of a number of Ministries.

Minister for Information and communication Jaya Prakash Gupta, who is also the spokesman of the cabinet, informed the media in Kathmandu Thursday that the committee would submit its report within three months after making thorough studies regarding the number of Ministries to be added.

Other members of the committee are secretaries of Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Law and Justice and Ministry of General Administration.

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba in the last cabinet meeting had expressed his desire to increase the number Ministries to accommodate more parliamentarians in the government. Some cabinet members have opposed the Prime Minister’s statement. The then Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala had slashed the number of Ministries from 26 to 21 last year on the basis of the report of the high-level administrative reforms commission.

Minister Gupta also informed that the government has withdrawn legal cases against all Maoist workers and leaders including Matrika Yadav in order to create a congenial atmosphere for peace talks. He, however, demanded same attitude from the Maoists.

He said that the government has already written to Maoist leadership about the venue and dates for the third round of talks.