KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 2

The number of government officials present at Tribhuvan International Airport to welcome or bid farewell to VVIPs and VIPs has been reduced following an amendment to the VVIP and VIP Security Management Work Procedures.

The amendment, initiated by the Ministry of Home Affairs and approved by the Council of Ministers four days ago, has already been implemented during Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's departure for his official visit to China.

According to Ministry spokesperson Dil Kumar Tamang, the revision aims to streamline and enhance the efficiency of reception and farewell protocols for VVIPs.

Under the updated procedures, only 14 officials, including the Vice President, Prime Minister, and Home Minister, are now allowed to be present at the airport for the President's departure or arrival from a foreign visit-down from 23 previously.

Similarly, the number of officials with access from the VVIP lounge to the mini motorcade has been reduced from 13 to 9.

For the Vice President's foreign visits, the presence of officials at the VVIP lounge has been reduced from 12 to 7, while access to the mini motorcade is now limited to 4 officials, including the Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister, the Secretary at the Office of the Vice President, and the Chief of Protocol.

In the case of the Prime Minister, the revised procedure allows only 12 officials, including the Acting Prime Minister, to be present at the airport for departures or arrivals.

These changes aim to make VVIP reception processes more organized and effective, as demonstrated during the Prime Minister's departure to China.