Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, Badri Prasad Pandey, has stated that a bill has been introduced to ensure good governance in the country’s civil aviation sector and strengthen the legal framework. Responding to questions raised during the theoretical discussion of the Nepal Civil Aviation Authority Bill, 2081, in today’s meeting of the House of Representatives, Minister Pandey clarified that the bill aims to improve governance in the airspace and manage skilled human resources in this sector.
Minister Pandey expressed confidence that the bill would play a key role in revitalizing Nepal’s tourism sector and enhancing the dynamism of Nepal’s airspace. “The purpose of introducing the bill with two separate entities carrying out distinct roles is to strengthen the system, promote good governance, and manage skilled human resources. This will lead to the development of expertise in various ways,” he said.
The minister further emphasized the need to make both international and domestic airports in Nepal dynamic and to operate the airspace effectively, which requires appropriate policies and laws. He clarified that the proposed bill will ensure that employees’ current services and benefits are not reduced.
“The process of amendments has already started, and in the next 72 hours, several proposals for amendments will be received,” said Minister Pandey. “The ministry and the government are ready to engage in meaningful discussions on the amendments without any rigidity. Let us move forward with a firm commitment to making the bill prosperous.” He also expressed his belief that discussions will be held with all stakeholders to achieve positive outcomes from the bill.
Minister Pandey assured that the ministry will work resolutely in controlling corruption. Regarding the Solar Airlines crash, he mentioned that an impartial investigation is underway, and the preliminary report has been received. Once the final report is available, he stated that anyone identified in the report will be punished without any negligence. The next meeting of the House of Representatives will be held on the 16th of Baishakh (April 29th) at 11 AM.
