New Delhi, April 24:

The Asian Development Bank has agreed to provide $20 million assistance for the construction of Bhairahawa airport and infrastructure development in Lumbini for tourism development. The bank agreed in principle to provide the assistance during a two-day South Asian Sub-Regional Economic Cooperation meeting here today.

Talking to The Himalayan Times, secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Leelamani Poudyal said the assistance would be used to upgrade the Bhairahawa airport to a regional-level airport and development of the Lumbini region from 2009.

Executive officer of the Nepal Tourism Board Prachanda Man Shrestha, high-ranking officials of the finance ministry and tourism ministry also participated in the meeting. Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Bhutan and Sri Lanka are the members of the sub-regional group.