KATHMANDU: The government on Thursday recommended Lt Gen Purna Chandra Thapa as the acting chief of army staff. He will assume charge as Nepali Army chief on August 10.

A meeting of the Cabinet held at Singha Durbar decided to recommend Thapa’s name for the post to President Bidhya Devi Bhandari, according to Minister for Communications and Information Technology Gokul Baskota.

The tenure of CoAS General Rajendra Chhetri ends on September 9, and as per the tradition the CoAS takes leave a month prior to retirement. From September 10, Thapa will assume full responsibility of the CoAS.

The Cabinet also decided to split the Ministry of Agriculture, Land Management and Cooperatives into the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Land Management and Cooperatives. The MoALMC is being headed by Chakrapani Khanal.