KATHMANDU:- The government has banned construction and tree planting on 1 thousand 3 hundred and 81 hectares of land along the 400 kV transmission line under MCA-Nepal.

The restricted area extends 23 meters on both sides of the line across nine districts, including Nawalparasi, Palpa, Tanahun, and Chitwan.

The information was shared by Minister for Communications and Information Technology and Governmnet Spokesperson Jagadish Kharel, at a press conference organized to make public the decision of the Council of Ministers meeting held yesterday.

The government has decided to approve 256 temporary officer-level posts in various agencies under the Ministry of Health and Population.

The posts have been approved for Kantibal Hospital and Health Insurance Board in Kathmandu, Geta Hospital in Dhangadhi, Sushil Koirala Cancer Hospital in Khajura, Banke and Dadeldhura Hospital in Dadeldhura.

The Council of Ministers meeting has decided to accept the resignation of Dr Tanka Prasad Barkoti, Director General of the Department of Health Services. Similarly, it has been decided to recommend to the President to relieve Madhes Province Chief Sumitra Subedi Bhandari from her post and to appoint Surendra Labh Karna, Dhanusha as the Province Chief, shared Minister Kharel.

The meeting has decided to provide prior approval to conduct an organization and management survey of the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation and its subordinate bodies.

The government has decided to approve the National Identity Card and Registration (Second Amendment) Regulations, 2082, and approved the Land Use (Third Amendment) Regulations, 2082.

The cabinet decided to promote Dan Bahadur Karki, the senior-most Additional Inspector General of Police, to the post of Inspector General of Police of Nepal Police.

Minister for Communications Kharel shared that approval has been given to extend the period of the memorandum of understanding signed between the Nepali Army and the Office of Defense Cooperation, US Embassy for training support to be conducted by the Nepali Army by two years.