February 2: The government has formed a committee to study the prospects of operating international airports of the country in public private partnership (PPP) model.    
A cabinet meeting held on Thursday approved the proposal for forming a study committee, submitted by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation.    
Former Secretary Shankar Prasad Adhikari is the coordinator of the five-member committee which also includes investment expert Ghanshyam Ojha, chief of Aviation Division of the ministry, Buddhi Sagar Lamichhane, Joint-Secretary of the Investment Board of Nepal and Deputy-Director of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, Dipendra Shrestha.    
The committee was formed to study the issue of operating Kathmandu-based Tribhuvan International Airport, Bhairahawa-based Gautam Buddha International Airport and Pokhara-based Pokhara Regional International Airport in full capacity and under the PPP model.    
According to the ministry, a separate five-member committee has also been formed to manage contract-based employees of Nepal Airlines Corporation.    
The committee has been formed under the coordination of former vice-chairperson of the National Planning Commission, Dipendra Bahadur Chhetri, where management expert Tikaram Rai, director general of the Department of Tourism, representatives of the Finance Ministry and Finance Department of Nepal Airlines Corporation would be the members. This committee has been given 45 days deadline.    
The cabinet also instructed the Nepalese Army to immediately provide land for the expansion of Chitwan-based Bharatpur airport and Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal to construct the damaged infrastructures.    
Similarly, the government also decided to provide land to the Nepalese Army at Shaktikhor for horse breeding centre and to bear all possible expenses for the same. -- RSS