A team headed by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Thursday inspected the runway section of the under construction Pokhara Regional International Airport in line with his government’s plan of setting up a result-based monitoring mechanism within the Office of the Prime Minister (PMO).

PM Oli was accompanied by Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Rabindra Adhikari and senior government officials.

On the occasion, PM Oli directed the authorities concerned to complete the construction process on time. “The current development seems to be satisfactory. The government will extend all the possible support to the project. The airport should be functional by July 2021,” Oli told the media in a brief conversation.

PM Oli is also learnt to have told the stakeholders that the government would help in land acquisition, if needed. “There should be no compromise in the construction of the airport. Be it in terms of infrastructure or other rudiments,” the PM said.     

He expressed satisfaction over the pace of the construction pace and appeared optimistic about timely completion of the project.

Officials at the PMO said such monitoring—of national pride projects—would be a regular feature.

The government has stated in the budget for the fiscal year 2018-19 that a project implementation directive committee will be formed under the PM in order to regularly undertake result-based monitoring of the large-sized projects of national importance.

As well as the daily monitoring, the mechanism at the PMO will be working to solve the problems facing the ministries while carrying out their tasks. A problem resolving centre is also being established at the PMO to serve the purpose.  The centre will work to change the regulations quickly and address any other administrative and inter-ministerial issues, a PMO official said.