Budget amounting to over Rs 20 billion for next fiscal year 2021/22 has been allocated for the construction of three international and other domestic airports.
Out of the total allocated budget amount, around Rs 19 billion has been separated for the beautification of Tribhuvan International Airport and construction of Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa and Pokhara Regional International Airport in Pokhara, said Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel.
Likewise, Rs 1.22 billion will be spent on construction of various infrastructure of domestic airports in Surkhet, Biratnagar, Okhaldhunga and Taplejung. Test flights at airports in Ilam, Gulmi and Dolpa will also be conducted.
Meanwhile, Rs 27.47 billion has been allotted to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation. The budget allocated to the ministry in the current fiscal year 2020/21 was Rs 26.12 billion.
In a bid to attract tourists, hiking trails and routes around Kathmandu valley will be constructed, said the minister. To promote domestic tourism, government employees will be granted paid leave of 10 days. The private sector will also be encouraged to provide such facility to their employees.