KATHMANDU: A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between Karnali State and the federal government to develop, expand and upgrade the airport in Surkhet, the capital of Karnali State.

Secretary of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Planning of Karnali Ghanashyam Upadhyaya and Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) Director General Rajan Pokharel signed the MoU for the same here today.  Chief Minister of  Karnali State Mahendra Bahadur Shahi, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Kumar Bhattarai, Karnali State’s Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning Prakash Jwala were present on the occasion.

The federal and state government will jointly bear the cost for the up-gradation of the airport. The MoU states that acquisition of land to the construction of a terminal building, runway expansion and other development works for the airport would be undertaken in cooperation among the Karnali State and the federal government.

The airport in Surkhet will have a runway stretching 1,500 meters. The Karnali State has already allocated a total of Rs 500 million in the current fiscal year for the construction of the airport which is expected to ensure easy air connectivity to 10 districts within the Karnali State.