KATHMANDU: The International Relations and Tourism Committee under the House of Representatives has decided to advance discussions on the two interrelated civil aviation bills, one concerning the division of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), and the other related to the proposed Nepal Aviation Service Authority, through a parallel deliberation process.
The decision was made during a meeting of the committee held today at Singha Durbar, where members agreed that both bills are complementary and should be discussed side by side for comprehensive understanding and legislative clarity.
Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, Badri Prasad Pandey, proposed the joint discussion approach, stating that proceeding with only one bill would necessitate analysis of the other as well. His proposal was unanimously endorsed by committee members.
Committee Chair Raj Kishor Yadav expressed confidence that both bills would be refined through joint consultations involving proposing lawmakers, committee members, experts, and stakeholders. He added that the ministry has been instructed to submit an integrated document comparing the existing act and the provisions outlined in the proposed bills to facilitate more effective discussions.
During the meeting, lawmakers including NP Saud, Udaya Shamsher Rana, Shishir Khanal, Bhim Prasad Acharya, Hit Bahadur Tamang, and Eknath Dhakal also supported the move to hold simultaneous discussions and urged for the timely conclusion of both bills.
Today’s agenda had initially included clause-wise discussions on the Nepal Aviation Service Authority Bill. While this bill has already undergone both theoretical and amendment-level discussions with concerned lawmakers, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) Bill still awaits further deliberation with lawmakers who have proposed amendments.
The committee has now committed to expediting discussions on both bills, aiming for their passage during the current session of the Federal Parliament. Both the government and the committee have indicated that passing the bills is a legislative priority for this term.
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