Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, January 5:

Government has constituted a high-level recommendation committee on transport management and has authorised it toreview existing transport policy and suggest for changes to make it relevant and more effective.

The state minister for labour and management is the coordinator of the 19-member committee. The committee has been given two months time to prepare report and submit it to the ministry of labour and transport management (MoLTM).

“The government is committed to make the transport related policies and legislations more competitive, practical and consumer oriented. Thus the committee will look into all aspects of current problem on policy matter, implementation and other issues, and recommend for necessary amendment,” said Raghuji Pant, minister for labour and transport management, today. According to him, the cabinet meeting on December 23 approved the committee formation. The committee comprises of representatives from MoLTM, office of attorney general, home ministry, Nepal Police, ministry of population and environment, department of roads, transport entrepreneurs, leading trade unions, consumers forum, workers union and department of transport management. The major problems that MoLTM have identified are escalating number of vehicles, increasing pollution, illegal cartel system, route syndicate system, and unmanaged transportation. “We have felt an urgent need to review, amend and update the existing provisions so that the transport sector could thrive ensuring better services to the consumers,” Pant said. “Besides reviewing the policies and recommending for changes, the committee will also set out a long term vision for the development of transport sector,” said Urba Dutta Pant, state minister and coordinator of the committee. He also informed that the committee has started its tasks from today.