NTB board likely to take decision today

Publish date : 6 April, 2015

KATHMANDU, Apr 6: Amid the uncertainty over how to run Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), its board is likely to reach a decision on Monday to give a way out to the current crisis. In this regard, the board is preparing to appoint a senior most manager as officiating CEO.

The national tourism promotion body is going through a difficult time after its top officials and four board members were charged of corruption by the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CAAN). On Friday, the anti-graft body charged 23 incumbent and former officials of NTB with corruption.

The board, which currently has seven members including two who have replaced Ratish Chandra Lal Suman, director general of CAAN and Dilli Prasad Sapkota, joint secretary of Ministry of Finance — both have been implicated in the corruption case — held discussions on ways to run NTB.

Rajendra Sapkota, who represents the private sector as a member in the board, said that the board meeting on Sunday discussed different possibilities. “We will discuss over the issue on Monday again and come up with a decision that will make NTB more active,” he added.

CIAA, on Friday, filed a graft case which sought to recover Rs 810 million from the 23 accused. After its officials representing in the board were charged with corruption, Ministry of Finance on Sunday sent its Joint Secretary Mani Ram Ojha as member in the board. Similarly, Mahendra Singh Rawal, acting director general of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has also joined the board, replacing Ratish Chandra Lal Suman,

DG of CAAN who is also charged of corruption.

The national tourism promotion body has 11 members — five representing government agencies, five from the private sector and a chairman. Suresh Man Shrestha, secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation heads the board.