By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Jan. 3: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Prem Bahadur Ale has said that the government is sensitive to lift Nepal Airlines from the blacklist of the European Union.
In a meeting with a delegation of the Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) Sunday, Minister Ale said that bills have been tabled in the parliament for legal and regulatory reforms to bring it out of the EU's blacklist.
He said that the bills would be passed soon.

"Both bills have already been passed by the National Assembly. We will bring Nepal out of the EU blacklist by passing the bill in the House of Representatives soon," he said. "The government is sensitive about these issues."
Minister Ale informed that he has proposed direct flight from Nepal to the UK.
He said that preparations for issuing working leave to government employees have been finalised.

"The draft procedure has been sent to the Finance Ministry and we will release it soon," said Minister Ale. He informed that a high level committee has been formed to take forward the work for revival of tourism sector which has been severely affected by COVID-19.
Minister Ale said that representatives of the private sector would also be included in the committee.

In the meeting, CNI president Vishnu Kumar Agrawal stressed on the need to work for the promotion of internal and external tourism for the speedy revival of the tourism sector which has been severely affected by COVID-19. He urged the government to make available full dose of vaccine against COVID-19 to all Nepalis as soon as possible and make arrangements to speed up the administration of booster dose.

President Agrawal also urged the government to address the grievances of some entrepreneurs who have not yet received the relief programmes announced by the government for the revival of COVID affected businesses.
He also suggested the government reach a bilateral agreement to attract millions of Bangladeshi tourists to Nepal.