Jul 21, Kathmandu - As part of immigration reforms, the Ministry of Home Affairs has deployed 45 branch officers who have recently passed the Public Service Commission to the Immigration Office at Tribhuvan International Airport starting today.

Immigration Department Director General Govinda Rijal informed that Chief Joint Secretary of the Immigration Office Narahari Ghimire and 45 new branch officers have been deployed at the airport since Monday.

"The department has deployed officers from the public service to the airport immigration office from today after a three-day training," he said. "Joint Secretary Ghimire, who came as the head of the immigration office, has also been present since today."

Ghimire, who started as the head of immigration at the airport, is a joint secretary who has worked as a spokesperson for the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority. A few days ago, the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration had sent the names of 45 officers to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Similarly, the Ministry of Home Affairs has stated that 45 branch officers have been deployed in immigration and the same number of branch officers have been drawn to the ministry. 'Officers coming from the airport will be matched with posts in the ministry", said Suresh Joshi, Deputy Secretary of the Administration Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs. 'If there are more officers than the posts, they will be sent out through the Ministry of General Administration.' He said that the ministry will keep officers only according to the posts.

Similarly, the government has formed a high-level study and investigation committee under the coordination of former Chief Secretary Shankar Das Bairagi to resolve the problems seen in immigration and visit visas. The said committee has been given a mandate to present an immediate and long-term action plan for policy-level, legal and structural reforms to resolve the problems seen by conducting a study, analysis and factual investigation on the facilitation of travel for people going abroad. The committee is currently working as per the mandate.