PADT abolishes executive director post under new regulation

KATHAMDNU: The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has approved and issued the “Pashupati Area Development Trust Employee Service, Terms and Facilities Regulation, 2083,” bringing major structural changes to the management of the Pashupati area administration.

According to a ministerial decision, the previous regulation has been scrapped. Acting under the authority granted by Section 21 of the Pashupati Area Development Trust Act, 2044, the new regulation was issued by the Minister and Chairperson of the Trust Council, Khadkraj Podel (Ganesh).

Ministry spokesperson Jay Narayan Acharya informed that the new framework includes a significant administrative overhaul, most notably the removal of the post of Executive Director from the Trust.

Previously, although the Act provided for a Member Secretary with executive authority, the post of Executive Director had been introduced through amendments during the tenure of former Member Secretary Vasant Chaudhary. The arrangement had remained in place for years.

After the introduction of the Executive Director system in 2060 BS, several senior officials served in the position, beginning with then government under-secretary Ramsharan Chimoriya. He was followed by former Department of Archaeology Director General Kosh Prasad Acharya, then Director Ramesh Upreti, and later Dr. Ghanshyam Khatiwada.

Following Khatiwada’s tenure, Laxmi Pun was appointed to the post, but her appointment became controversial and was later removed through a court decision. Subhash Chandra Joshi was subsequently appointed as Executive Director.

With the new regulation now in force, the Executive Director post has been abolished, and Joshi has also been relieved from his position while still in office.

As a result, the Trust will no longer have an Executive Director position going forward, marking a major administrative restructuring since its introduction in 2060 BS.