Kathmandu: Prime Minister Sushila Karki has expanded her interim government by inducting four new ministers. The newly appointed ministers were sworn in today.

Shraddha Shrestha has been assigned the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens, while Kumar Ingham has taken charge of the Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation. Rajendra Singh Bhandari has been appointed Minister for Labor, Employment and Social Security, and Madhav Chaulagain has been given responsibility for the Ministry of Forests and Environment.

With the latest expansion, the Council of Ministers now consists of 14 members. Minister Anil Sinha, who already holds the additional responsibility of the Ministry of Industry and Law, has also been entrusted with the Ministry of Tourism. The responsibilities of the remaining ministers remain unchanged.

Prime Minister Karki continues to hold the portfolios of Foreign Affairs, Defense and Drinking Water.

The interim government was formed on Bhadra 27 in the aftermath of the Gen-G movement, with a mandate to conduct elections to the House of Representatives scheduled for Falgun 21. However, concerns have been raised over election preparedness as the Council of Ministers is yet to be fully formed, with only 83 days remaining until the scheduled polls.