KATHMANDU, JULY 8 The government on Wednesday appointed Govind Bahadur Karki as the new Chief Secretary, the country's top civil servant. The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Balendra Shah, government spokesperson Sasmit Pokharel informed after the meeting. Karki, who currently serves as Secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, will succeed Chief Secretary Suman Raj Aryal. Aryal is due to retire on July 10 under the mandatory retirement provision for civil servants.