The government has established a high-level study and recommendation committee to assess the creation of a safe, reliable, and trustworthy civil aviation system in Nepal.
Chaired by former Supreme Court judge Anil Kumar Sinha, the five-member committee includes aviation management expert Rajendra Bahadur Singh, aviation security expert Bheshraj Subedi, and quality management expert Captain Riwaj Prasad Pradhan. An Under-Secretary from the Tourism Ministry will serve as the committee’s member secretary.
This initiative, approved during a Cabinet meeting on Friday following a proposal from the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, aims to address the persistent challenges in Nepal’s aviation sector, including frequent air accidents and the European Union’s blacklist.
In addition, the Cabinet decided to form a negotiation team led by the Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Finance to discuss a proposed $135 million loan from the World Bank for green recovery and inclusive development. Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung announced the Cabinet’s acceptance of a concessional loan of $150 million from the Green Climate Fund for climate adaptation projects.
Other decisions included customs duty exemptions for disaster relief aid, the reappointment of Ashish Gajurel as Executive Director of the Nepal Intermodal Transport Development Committee, and the approval of Minister Dipak Khadka’s visit to New Delhi for the 7th International Solar Alliance meeting.
The Cabinet also reconstituted the recommendation committee for the Commission for Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, chaired by former Chief Justice Om Prakash Mishra, with members from various fields including human rights and law.
Additional approvals from the Cabinet included financial assistance for disaster-affected local units, the establishment of an immigration office at the Korala border in Mustang, and interoperability between the National Council Management Information System and the Citizen App. Minister Devendra Dahal’s visit to Saudi Arabia for infrastructure discussions was also approved.
Finally, the Cabinet decided to gift a pair of elephants from Chitwan National Park to Qatar and to ensure free medical treatment—excluding cosmetic procedures—for citizens unable to afford care at various health institutions across the country.
