The Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation has made remarkable progress in the reconstruction and conservation of cultural heritage sites damaged by earthquakes in 2015 and 2023. Exceeding its target for the current fiscal year 2024/25, the Ministry successfully rebuilt and preserved 27 cultural heritages by mid-January, surpassing its initial goal of 25 sites.
In the previous fiscal year, the Ministry faced challenges in achieving its reconstruction goals, completing 13 out of 24 planned stupas across Dhading, Rasuwa, Sindhupalchowk, and Dolakha districts. However, the current fiscal year saw a significant improvement, with 40 conservation projects completed, doubling the initial target of 20 heritage sites for 2023/24.
The Ministry has also initiated various other projects. It has drafted a concept paper for establishing eco-hill stations and tourism spots on hilltops and has started the location selection process. In the area of heritage preservation, 10,000 out of 50,000 historical pages have been collected, cataloged, and preserved using chemicals. In Simraunagadh, Bara district, bidding processes for conservation work have been completed, and mandates have been issued for the next phase. Additionally, the Ministry has monitored three airlines to ensure compliance with safety standards.
Under the Lumbini Master Plan, efforts to enhance infrastructure and connectivity have made notable progress. The expansion of the road network to the eastern side of Bihar State in India has achieved 68% completion, while electrification and road construction works at the cultural center have reached 84% completion.
This progress reflects the Ministry’s dedication to cultural heritage preservation, eco-tourism development, and infrastructure expansion, which are critical to bolstering Nepal’s cultural and tourism landscape.
