Kathmandu : Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Badri Prasad Pandey appraised the parliament that continuous discussions were underway with various international airlines companies to operate the Pokhara International Airport sustainably.
The Minister said so while responding to the queries raised by parliamentarians in today’s meeting of the House of Representatives. Moreover, Minister Pandey shared that a comprehensive action-plan has already been approved and implemented for sustainable operation of the Pokhara International Airport, one of the three international airports in the country.
According to him, various concessional schemes have been offered to promote international flights from this Airport which, he believed, could possibly increase the volume of international flights. At present, he informed the House that the Himalayan Airlines is operating regular flights between Pokhara and Lhasa in China from the Airport while efforts were underway to expand the international flights holding discussions with other international airlines.
Emphasizing institutional reform, he asserted that his Ministry has prioritized restructuring the Nepal Airlines Corporation. He mentioned that several suggestions were received to reform the Nepal Airlines Corporation and increase its market share including improving its existing management, bringing on board strategic partnership, converting Corporation into company among others. Furthermore, the Ministry is also prioritizing efforts to make mountain climbing safer and well-managed.
According to him, 472 mountains peaks across the country are currently open for climbing and publicity and promotion of these mountains are ongoing in full swing.
Additionally, he said that the Department of Tourism has published a booklet containing essential information about Nepal’s 8,000-metres mountains in a bid to promote mountain tourism. During the meeting parliamentarians Surya Prasad Dhakal, Prem Suwal and Madhav Sapkota posed several questions to Minister Pandey regarding the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation.
