The President said this while addressing the 14th Anniversary of Lumbini Buddhist University in Butwal on December 09, 2018.

Bhandari called for completion of GBIA at the earliest possible so as to promote Lumbini’s tourism potential and also for overall development of Nepal tourism industry.

“I request the government to work in cooperation with the local community and the private sector for the development of tourism industry in the country,” reads the President’s statement.

She also urged for the early development of Ramagram & Devdaha of Nawalparasi and Tilaurakot of Kapilvastu as key to the tourism development under master plan for Lumbini.

Bhandari said linking of Lumbini with other tourism destinations and forming a Buddhist tourist circuit are very important for the country.

On the occasion, the President also highlighted the need for development of LBU into a world-class academic institution for spreading the message of peace and harmony.

“This university should not be limited on investigation and promotion of knowledge created during the Buddhist era. But this university also needs to bring new knowledge and information in the world,” said Bhandari.

In his address, Tourism Minister Rabindra Adhikari urged the University should expand its academic portfolio to cover subjects like Hotel Management, Travel & Tourism and Buddhist education.

“The cabinet has taken a decision of providing five percent income of Lumbini Development Fund to the university. Government will introduce major plans for the development of the university in coming days,” said Adhikari.

“Construction of the Buddhist circuit will surely contribute toward broader development of Lumbini,” said Adhikari, informing that the remaining 30 percent task under Lumbini master plan will be completed in three years.

With regard to GBIA, the Minister said that the airport will come into full operation within the coming nine months, within which the upgradation of Lumbini roads are also expected to be completed.

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A recent update informed that the Gautama Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa is nearing its completion to become operational by early 2019.

The much-delayed airport got 50 percent of its physical infrastructure development completed by June 2018 and is awaiting the technical infrastructure part.

The finished 50 percent work covered 70 percent of the civil works and the remaining 30 percent of task involves setting up of Air Traffic Management (ATM) and Communications, Navigation & Surveillance (CNS) systems.

Encouraged at June’s progress report, the #AsianDevelopmentBank (ADB) has decided to step into the project again.

ADB was supporting the project as a key financier, but moved out in December 2017 citing slow execution from the Nepal Government’s side in meeting the set deadlines.

“The project has achieved better-than-expected result in June. ADB has been considering continuing support for the project and we are in regular discussion with them,” says Sanjiv Gautam, Director General, Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN).

According to Gautam, the project is currently awaiting final base laying works including that of the runway that are expected to be completed by end of July 2018.

ADB has so far provided USD 58.50 million in loans & grants followed by OPEC Fund for International Development’s (OFID) USD 15 million loan and CAAN will bear the remaining expenditure as part of counterpart funding.

The project was initially set for a December 2018 deadline after months of delay and has been finally been set to a revised operational deadline of June 2018.

The airport project is aimed at promoting Bhairahawa’s potential as a growing industry hub of Nepal and also to drive more international tourists to Lumbini, Birthplace of Lord Buddha, which is 22 km away from the Gautam Buddha International Airport at Bhairahawa.

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