Govt okays 8 tourism promotion committees

KATHMANDU, Dec 22: The bills committee of the cabinet on Monday approved orders for the formation of eight different tourism sector promotion committees in a bid to mark Tourism Year-2011 in a grand manner as committed in the national budget and the government´s program and policies. [break]



According to Law and Justice Minister Prem Bahadur Singh who is chairman of the committee, the meeting held at the Prime Minister´s office at Singha Durbar approved eight different formation orders to set up tourism sector development committees as proposed by the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoTCA).



“Formation orders to set up various tourism sector promotion committees were issued in view of the upcoming Tourism Year-2011," Tourism Minister Sarat Singh Bhandari told journalists after the meeting, adding, “Such committees will help celebrate Tourism Year-2011 in a great manner.”



The meeting decided to form the Karnali, Simraungadh and Sahalekh sectors tourism promotion committees among others. As per the bills committee decision, sector tourism development committees were also formed for Chisapani, Birat, Lumbini and Brihat Brahma.



“Committees are authorized to initiate necessary preparations and conduct activities for tourism promotion in the districts and areas concerned,” Minister Singh told myrepublica.com.



He said the committees will not interfere with the government´s regular tourism promotion activities but will work in cooperation with the government´s permanent agencies.



“Committees are also authorized to form masterplans for the promotion of tourism in certain areas, implement those plans and launch publicity campaigns,” he said.



According to Minister Singh, the government will appoint some temporary staff to those committees through political decision. A knowledgeable source at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers (OPMCM) said the formation of such committees may create problems while carrying out activities at local level. “The decision is contradictory as there might be conflict of interest between government agencies and such committees,” the source said.



The government had allocated a budget for such committees in the national budget. “Those committees will perform certain promotional activities in certain areas for a certain time,” said Madhav Paudel, Secretary at the Ministry of Law and Justice.

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