January 1: The government has decided to cut down the expenses on snacks for the meeting of the Council of Ministers in a bid to reform the state apparatus. Stating that the government should initiate reforms from small topics, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal announced at the cabinet meeting held in Singha Durbar on Monday morning that the expenditure on snacks served in such meetings will be  been cut down from now onwards, according to the Prime Minister's Secretariat.    
The PM’s Office stated that approximately Rs 60,000 is spent on snacks in each meeting of the Council of Ministers. It is said the Council of Ministers meets more than 100 times in a year. Govinda Acharya, the press advisor to the prime minister, said that around Rs 6 million will be saved annually with the decision to cut down the snack expenses in the meeting of the Council of Ministers.    
Normal snacks will be served in the meeting of the Council of Ministers from now on, the PM’s Secretariat said. Acharya said PM Dahal has started reforms from his own office considering minor issues as significant measures for good governance and reforms.    
Prime Minister Dahal who recently announced to change the working style of the government has been reaching the Prime Minister's Office at Singha Durbar at 10.0 am daily, except on public holidays. He has been taking daily briefing from various ministries and initiatives for resolving the problems seen in development projects, including the national pride projects, from the Singha Durbar.    
Meanwhile, the government's decision to use the Nepal Sambat calendar in all the government documents has been implemented. -- RSS