February 9: The government has started the work of identification of projects for the Third Investment Summit to be held on April 28 and 29. The government has prepared a list of different projects to present them in the upcoming summit. Some of them are new projects whole some projects can be initiated immediately.

However, the much-hyped Nijgad International Airport is not included in the list of projects to be presented in the summit.

The government has started preparation for the investment summit at the time when it reaffirmed its stance to construct the Nijgad International Airport. However, this airport is not in the list of the government for the upcoming summit.

There are currently three international airports in Nepal. Apart from Tribhuvan International Airport, there are no international flights taking place from Bhairahawa-based Gautam Buddha International Airport and Pokhara Regional International Airport.

The government has announced that the operation of these airports and the construction of Nijgarh Airport will be done on a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. Businessmen from neighboring countries have shown intererst in the construction and operation of the new airport.

Although the Nijgad International Airport was expected to be among the projects to be showcased during the Third Investment Summit, it did not fall among the 105 projects in government’s list.

The government has formed a technical committee to select the projects to be presented at the investment summit. Officials of the Investment Board are hopeful that Nijgad International Airport may be shortlisted for the upcoming summit as government is yet to finalize the list of projects to be presented in the summit.

Joint Secretary and Spokesperson of Investment Board Nepal, Pradyumna Prasad Upadhyay, said that the selected projects are not final and Nijgad Airport may also be added in the future.

 Mukunda Prasad Niraula, Secretary of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supply, who is also the coordinator of the technical committee for the selection of the projects to be presented at the conference, informed that the list of 105 projects has been received so far for the investment summit.

According to him, the list includes some projects whose detailed project reports (DPR) have been prepared while there are also projects without DPR and some whose environmental impact assessments have already been done. Some projects in the list are currently under construction.

A meeting of the Third Investment Summit Implementation Committee held on Thursday pledged to amend a number of laws related to facilitating investment in the country. A task force formed to amend the laws has recommended amending about a dozen laws to bring legal and policy reforms to attract investment.