Annex

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Main government institutions and environment related responsibilities in Nepal

Ministries	Responsibilities related to environment
Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation (MFSC)	Involved in planning, policy formulation and monitoring of forest-related programmes including the utilisation of forest products, wildlife conservation and biodiversity. Responsible for the legal instruments and administrative provisions regarding the utilisation of forest products.
Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)	The chief district office at the district level operates as the local administrative unit of this ministry which is responsible for enforcing all the acts and regulations having to do with environmental protection and consumer protection.
Ministry of Local Development (MLD)
Ministry of Law and Justice (MLJ)	important entity legislative process of formulating and amending all acts, including those related to the environment and consumer protection
Ministry of Agriculture (MOA)	Main focus is planning, policy formulation and monitoring of agricultural development programmes and projects. Directly involved in the formulation of appropriate policies, standards and legal instruments related to a number of environmentally sensitive products such as food products, animal feed, pesticides and chemical fertilizer. Primarily responsible for developing and enforcing standards related to food and feed, and controlling agriculture-related pollution.
Ministry of Commerce (MOC)	Responsible for formulating the country's international trade policies including imposition of restrictions/regulations of trade in environmentally sensitive products.
Ministry of Finance (MOF)	Selection and magnitude of resources allocated for, various environment-related projects. Like sectoral development programmes, environmental project proposals originate from individual ministries and MOPE, while the final decision on resource allocation is made by MOF. Allocation of funds, co-ordination of foreign aid,
Ministry of Health (MOH)	Formulate plans, policies and legal provisions related to public health, including the fixation of quality standards for drugs. Department of Drug Administration (DDA) is responsible for determining and enforcing quality standards for drugs and chemicals, many of which utilise natural agro-based raw materials.
Ministry of industry (MOI)	Responsible for (1) industrial promotion and (2) environmental conservation. Responsible for preparing and enforcing legislation and regulations on industrial pollution in new (EIA, IEE) and ongoing industries. . has a separate cell on Environment and Technology Transfer
Ministry of Population and Environment (MOPE)	Formulation and implementation of population and environmental policies and plans, legislative measures, survey and research, monitoring and evaluation
Ministry of Science and Technology (MST)	Established in 1996 to promote scientific pursuit and technological innovations for the overall development of the country.
Ministry of Water Resources (MWR)	The principal line ministry with respect to power development and irrigation. Formulation of sectoral policies and programmes relating to the use of water resources Responsible for making rules and regulations for the water resources sector.
Ministry of Communication	Dissemination of environmental information, awareness creation
Ministry of Defense	Surveillance of National Parks and Reserves
Ministry of Education and Culture	Awareness creation, Documentation
Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation	Forest management, protection and community forestry. Protection of ecosystems, bio-diversity, endangered flora and fauna. Soil conservation and watershed management, EIA, environment education. Research and herbarium, botanical garden, genetic resources
Ministry of Housing and Physical Planning	Urban planning and development, Sewerage. Collection, recycling and disposal of solid wastes and sanitation improvement.
Ministry of Tourism	Tourist services, trekking, mountaineering and environment protection
Ministry of Supply	(Timber Corporation) Sale and distribution of forest products (fuel wood and timber)
Ministry of Works and Transport	Land and water transport, environment protection
Ministry of Local Development	District Development Units: Integrated rural development, decentralisation
Ministry of Land Reform and Management	Land Reform: Land tenure, land surveying and mapping

Other Agencies: Other agencies responsible for formulating plans, policies and regulations:

Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC)	Chaired by the Minister responsible for Agriculture, is responsible for undertaking and encouraging research in various aspects of agriculture.
Royal Nepal Academy of Science and Technology(RONAST)	Responsible for undertaking and encouraging research on all aspects of scientific research in the country and to liaise with similar institutions outside the country.
Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA)	A public sector undertaking responsible for the generation and distribution of electricity to both urban and rural areas. Remote areas are served by decentralised small hydropower and diesel plants. The Small Hydropower Development Board of NEA was restructured into Small Hydropower Department under the Rural Electrification Directorate. NEA does not implement microhydropower projects (below 100 kW).

Product Testing Institutes: providing analytical services relevant to the environment

Central Food Research Laboratory (CFRL)	under the Ministry of Agriculture which is the principal agency providing technical inputs and analytical services in the enforcement of food and feed quality standards
Nepal Bureau of Standards and Metrology (NBSM)	The technical arm of the Ministry of Industry. Responsible for setting up of standards, laboratory testing, and environmental auditing. Also has a separate cell for industrial pollution monitoring and evaluation. The Bureau has already established one central laboratory in Katmandu and two regional laboratories in Birgunj and Butwal. A third one is being proposed to set up in Biratnagar.