KATHMANDU, Feb 19: The government has decided to appoint Dr Chandika Prasad Bhatta as the managing director of Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC). A meeting of the Council of Ministers has chosen Bhatt for a three-year term.

After the then Managing Director of NOC, Umesh Prasad Thani, resigned from his post with part of his term still remaining, a call was made to fill the vacancy. Dr Bhatta has been selected after beating 13 candidates.

According to the guidelines for appointing and nominating officials in public bodies affiliated to the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, 2078 BS, the selection committee recommended the names of three people who scored the highest number of points among the 3 candidates.

Earlier, the ministry had recommended the names of Dr Chandika Prasad Bhatta, Dr Dol Prasad Chapagain and Shatrughan Prasad Pudasaini for the position of managing director of NOC.

Bhatta has previous experience of working as managing director in NOC. Bhatta is the initiator of the automatic pricing system in NOC. Bhatta is working as the Executive Director of Special Economic Zone Authority, Nepal.