Interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki has reduced the number of staff in her secretariat, removing 14 of the 26 staff members.
Her secretariat now consists of only six members. These six are the same individuals who were previously appointed, according to Hemraj Aryal, joint secretary at the Prime Minister's Office.
Despite the staff cut, Adarsha Shrestha has been retained as PM Karki’s chief personal secretary. However, his wife, Sangeeta Shrestha, has been removed.
Now, Karki's secretariat will include only the chief personal secretary, chief advisor, public relations advisor, press coordinator, personal section officer (photographer), and a public health expert.
PM Karki was embroiled in controversy after it became public that her chief personal secretary Shrestha had appointed his wife Sangeeta to her secretariat. Despite the controversy over his wife's appointment, the prime minister has retained Shrestha in her secretariat.
PM Karki has also removed individuals who were appointed to the secretariat as representatives of the Gen Z movement. They include Gen Z activists Pradeep Gyawali, Akriti Ghimire, among others.
