KATHMANDU: The Managing Director of Nepal Airlines Corporation will now be selected through an open competition.

A committee has been formed under the coordination of Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, Hariprasad Mainali, to shortlist and recommend qualified candidates through open competition.

Prime Minister Sushila Karki, in her capacity as the departmental minister, approved the formation of the committee today.

Captain Kul Bahadur Limbu has been appointed as the expert member of the committee.

The Head of the Planning and Administration Division of the ministry, who is also a Joint Secretary, will serve as the member-secretary.

The committee is required to select and recommend qualified candidates within one month through the open competition.

Until a new Managing Director is appointed through this process, the senior-most employee of the corporation, Deputy Director General Jankaraj Kalakheti, will serve as the Acting Managing Director.

Similarly, until another arrangement is made, the Vice-Chairperson Bikram Rai will perform the duties of the Chairperson of the corporation’s Board of Directors, according to Ministry spokesperson Ram Krishna Lamichhane.