Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, Badri Pandey, has announced that the government is actively working to reduce air accidents in Nepal. Speaking at today’s House of Representatives session in response to MP Sobita Gautam’s motion regarding the urgent public importance of enhancing the safety and credibility of Nepal’s aviation sector, Minister Pandey emphasized that aviation safety is a top priority for the government.
Minister Pandey expressed gratitude for the parliamentary support to separate the Civil Aviation Authority into regulatory and operational bodies. He informed that two bills aimed at this division are already in the drafting process. The government has also initiated the formulation of other aviation-related laws, which will address issues such as insurance coverage associated with civil aviation.
Furthermore, Minister Pandey highlighted the government’s commitment to establishing a permanent mechanism for investigating air accidents, with necessary legal provisions being developed. He mentioned the formation of a high-level committee to further study the recommendations and reports from previously established committees on air accident investigations.
Additionally, the government is advancing action plans to ensure the smooth operation of Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa and Pokhara Regional Airport. The discussion on the proposal saw participation from several MPs, including Udaya Shumsher JB Rana, Hit Bahadur Tamang, Abdul Khan, Sanjay Kumar Gautam, Rajendra Bajgain, Anisha Nepali, Maina Karki, Sudan Kiranti, and Birendra Prasad Mahato.
In other proceedings, the House passed a condolence motion in memory of former Constituent Assembly member Shravan Kumar Agrawal, who passed away on August 5th. Agrawal, a member of the Madhesi People’s Rights Forum, in Nepal, was elected as a proportional representative in the 2008 and 2013 Constituent Assembly elections. He was most recently affiliated with the Janata Samajbadi Party, in Nepal. The next meeting of the House of Representatives is scheduled for Tuesday, September 3rd, at 1 PM.
