Construction of airports listed as national pride projects slow in first half of 2021/22

Published On: February 11, 2022 02:15 PM NPT By: Himal Lamsal


KATHMANDU, Feb 11: The Government of Nepal had allocated Rs 3.53 billion for the construction of the Gautam Buddha International Airport in the current fiscal year. However, the project has made financial progress of just Rs 180 million in the first half of the current fiscal year. It was stated that just 1.75 percent of the 3 percent work was done to make the airport capable of conducting a calibration flight, in the half-yearly evaluation and review report of the budget for the current fiscal year 2021\/2022 released by the Ministry of Finance on Thursday. 

Similarly, the Ministry of Finance had allocated a budget of Rs 8.50 billion for the construction of an international airport in Pokhara. As per the half-yearly report, not a single rupee was spent for its development in the first half of the current fiscal year. Likewise, a budget of Rs 360 million was allocated for Nijgadh International Airport, of which Rs 300 million has been spent so far. 

The finance ministry has suggested the administration handling the construction of the projects submit their progress reports and accounts throughout the construction of the projects. The Government of Nepal has listed 25 projects as the national pride projects and has moved ahead with their construction. 

The report released by the finance ministry also states that the projects should be listed in the national pride projects only after a thorough study, pre-planning, and regional balance in the country. It also suggested going ahead with the procurement process only after the implementation of measures for the resource mobilization, aid mobilization, and deciding modality and time frame.

 


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