Government Replaces NEA Executive Director, Forms High-Level Probe Panel

The government has removed Hitendra Dev Shakya from the post of executive director of the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and appointed former deputy executive director Manoj Silwal as his successor.

Sunday’s cabinet meeting decided to dismiss Shakya and hand over the NEA leadership to Silwal, Finance Minister Rameshore Khanal announced while briefing on the decisions.

The cabinet also formed a high-level investigation commission to probe incidents during the Gen Z movement. The commission, headed by former Special Court chair and ex-justice Gauri Bahadur Karki, includes former AIG Bigyan Raj Sharma and legal expert Bishweshwar Prasad Bhandari as members. The panel must submit its report within three months.

Meanwhile, the government appointed AIG Manoj KC as chief of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB). KC, who led the investigation into the fake Bhutanese refugee scam and oversaw the arrest of former Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand, had earlier been removed from the post under pressure from the Nepali Congress.

To support reconstruction of property damaged by arson and vandalism during the Gen Z movement, the cabinet decided to provide up to a 50 percent customs duty waiver on imported materials.

The cabine meeting has instructed Nepal Rastra Bank and insurance companies to introduce relief programs to help affected industries, businesses, and commercial establishments resume operations. The Nepal Insurance Authority will require insurers to provide up to 50 percent of assessed damages as advance payments.

The cabinet also approved the auction of vehicles and machinery damaged in the protests as scrap, Finance Minister Khanal said.

Additionally, the government will form committees to assess damages—led by the Ministry of Urban Development at the central level and by the chief district officers in each district.