Kathmandu, Jan 17 (IANS): Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Tuesday expanded his cabinet and inducted 12 ministers and three Ministers of State.

President Bidya Devi Bhandari administered the oaths of office and secrecy to the newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Ministers while the Prime Minister administered oaths to the MoS at a ceremony at the President's office Sheetal Niwas, The Kathmandu Post reported.

Rajendra Lingden took the oath as Deputy Prime Minister, Energy Minister Dhruva Bahadur Pradhan as Law Minister, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Bikram Pandey as Urban Development Minister, Deepak Bahadur Singh as Minister of State for Energy, all from Rastriya Prajatantra Party.

Bimala Rai was sworn in as Foreign Affairs Minister, Padam Giri as Health and Population Minister, Bhagwati Chaudhary as Women, Children and Senior Citizens Minister and Hari Uprety as Defence Minister, all from UML.

From CPN (Maoist Centre) Rekha Sharma and Aman Lal Modi became Communications and Information Technology Minister and Federal Affairs and General Administration Minister respectively. Sudan Kirati has been appointed Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister.

Newly-appointed Minister of State for Tourism Sushila Shreepali was absent from the oath-taking ceremony.

Shishir Khanal took an oath as Education Minister, Dol Prasad Aryal as Labour, Employment and Social Security Minister and Toshima Karki as Minister of State for Heath, all from Rastriya Swatantra Party.