Newly appointed Finance Minister Dr. Swarnim Wagle officially took office on Friday after being sworn in by President Ram Chandra Paudel. Ranked second in the cabinet of Prime Minister Balendra Shah, Dr. Wagle immediately began implementing recommendations from the High-Level Economic Reform Suggestion Commission 2024. His first actions included dissolving the Revenue Investigation Department and repealing or amending 15 restrictive laws, including the Export-Import (Control) Act 1956 and the Foreign Investment Prohibition Act 1964. An economist with experience at the World Bank and UNDP, Dr. Wagle won his parliamentary seat from Tanahu-1 with 38,040 votes. He pledged to publish a comprehensive “Economic Status Paper” within five days and introduce a 100-day action plan to transition the ministry toward paperless and cashless systems.
