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Pokhara International Airport, the third international airport of Nepal, was inaugurated amidst a grand ceremony on Sunday. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who had reached the lake city to inaugurate the airport, said that the dream of the people of Kaski has been fulfilled. He also claimed that the Pokhara International Airport will contribute to the economy of the country. While the dream of Pokharelis has been coming true after a long wait of five decades, China, however, has made a controversial claim about it. The Kathmandu-based Chinese Embassy said that the Pokhara International Airport is the flagship project of the China-Nepal BRI cooperation. “The Pokhara International Airport is the flagship project of the China-Nepal BRI cooperation. Congratulations to Nepal and the Nepali people,” the Chinese Embassy wrote in its Twitter account. Nepal, however, has not made any decision on the model to be adopted for the BRI Project. Former ambassador Bijayakanta Karna said that China has made a false claim. He said that China made a false claim by providing a loan at a high interest rate. According to Karna, Pokhara International Airport was built with a $215.96 million loan from the EXIM Bank of China, whose interest rate is the highest ever. “Pokhara International Airport was constructed by taking a loan at a high interest rate from the EXIM Bank of China. The Nepal government has to pay both loan and interest from March,” he said. He claimed that the Pokhara International Airport will not be included in the nine projects selected by the Chinese government. “We have heard that the nine projects of BRI have been selected. But, the Pokhara International Airport is not included even in the nine projects,” the former ambassador said. He said that the Pokhara International Airport was built with an expensive investment. “It was said that the airport will be completed in four years. But, it was inaugurated in seven years. Still, there are some works to be completed. This is an expensive airport in terms of investment as well. The airport was built with more investment than the proposed budget,” Karna said. He said that China is trying to get close with Nepal after the formation of Communist government. Karna was of the opinion that the Chinese side has started the feasibility study of Kerung-Kathmandu to show the proximity. “China is trying to get closer with Nepal after the formation of a new government under the Communist alliance. The feasibility study of Kerung-Kathmandu railway has also been started. But, the railway will not be built,” he said. China has entrusted Railway First Survey and Design Institute Group Co., Ltd with the responsibility to carry out a feasibility study of the Kerung-Kathmandu railway. The company has deployed six engineers for the feasibility study of Kerung-Kathmandu railway. During the visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Nepal, the Nepal government said that BRI cannot be brought on a loan. The then Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and Foreign Minister Narayan Khadka had said that the BRI Project cannot be implemented immediately, saying that there should be a thorough discussion on the modality among other issues of the project. Nepal had signed the BRI Project in 2017. Five years have already passed after signing the agreement, no significant progress has been made on the project. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had asked the Nepal government through then Prime Minister Deuba and Foreign Minister Khadka to clear its position on the BRI Project. In response, Deuba had said that Nepal could not afford the loan at a time when the country’s economy is already in crisis.  

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal held a meeting with office bearers of the Election Commission on Monday. During the meeting held at the Office of Prime Minister and Council of Minister this morning, the Prime Minister urged the office bearers to make necessary preparations for the elections of President, Vice-President and the vacant post of a National Assembly member. "You (EC office bearers) take ahead the process for the election to the vacant post of a NA member.  We will hold discussions among political parties for the elections of President and Vice-President. we will reach a conclusion soon," PM Dahal said. On the occasion, he thanked the EC for successfully organizing the local elections and the polls to the House of Representatives and the Province Assembly. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel and DPM and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane among others were present in the meeting. Chief Election Commissioner Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya and election commissioners apprised the PM of the EC's works and activities, and the election process.

Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane has directed the concerned authority to end the compulsion of people to come to Kathmandu to make national identity cards and passports. During a virtual meeting held with Chief District Officers of 77 districts and security chiefs on Monday, Minister Lamichhane directed the CDOs to create an environment to provide national identity cards and passports from the districts. “Let’s create an environment to provide national identity cards and passports from the districts. The Home Ministry is ready to provide support for the same,” he said. Soon after Lamichhane was appointed as the Home Minister, he had inspected the Department of Passports. During that time, people had complained about the delay in the distribution of passports. They had demanded that the service should be made effective by bringing a token system.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' has said the construction of Nijgadh International Airport will be started soon. Inaugurating the Pokhara International Airport here today, he said the air route is the most effective way for connectivity in a land-locked country like Nepal and the construction of Nijgadh International Airport is required for that. "The country's third international airport has come into operation in Pokhara from today, establishing international connectivity to the international sector," PM Dahal said, adding that he had taken initiative for the prompt construction of this airport through the Chinese embassy and in face-to-face meeting with the Chinese President Xi Jinping. Stating that Shankar Raj Pathak, the man who conceptualized Pokhara International Airport, is his teacher, he praised him. The Executive Chief urged the Chinese government to extend support in the construction of projects including the railway service and in easing the trade by opening the transit points. He viewed that there could not be two opinions that the operation of the international airport in Pokhara will contribute to the economic development of the entire nation along with that of the Gandaki province. "I have become the Prime Minister winning the general election from Gandaki province. The Gandaki people have provided the opportunity to serve the nation as the Prime Minister for the third time and I want to thank them for that," PM Dahal said. Premier Dahal reiterated that the government under his leadership will carry out works, taking social justice, good governance and people's prosperity as the main slogan. "I fulfilled a leading role before this for establishing the democratic republic. Now, I will take the country on the development trajectory through economic development, prosperity and promotion of good governance." he said.