Kathmandu, December 29:

The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has formed three committees to appoint academicians to the three newly-proposed academies.

The government had recently decided to form three autonomous academies for culture, language and literature and fine arts.

“The nominations for the section committees have been made and the minister has forwarded the names to the Prime Minister for his approval,”

said under-secretary at the ministry Jala Krishna Shrestha.

He said three-member selection committees had been proposed for each of the three academies. Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung will be the chairman of all the three committees. “The names of members for the selection committees will be out soon and the process of selection of the academicians will follow it,” he added.

He also said the ministry is thinking about providing voluntary retirement to all the employees of the Nepal Cultural Corporation through a ‘golden handshake’ and fill the vacant posts afresh keeping in view the requirements of the to-be-formed Cultural Academy.

Between 70 and 80 artistes are working in the corporation.

He added that the same procedure would be followed on Nepal Academy and Nepal Academy of Fine Arts, which would be replaced by new Academy for Language and Literature and Academy for Fine Arts, respectively.