Sought Rs 4,650 crore to revive 50 airports: Minister

The Civil Aviation Ministry on Tuesday reported that it has sought Rs 4,650 crore from the central coffers to revive 50 un-served and under-served airports.

According to Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha, the newly approved National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP), 2016, has provision for promotion of regional connectivity by way of revival of un-served and under-served airports.

"In order to implement the scheme, a proposal has been submitted to Ministry of Finance for making a budgetary provision of Rs 4,650 crores (approx.) to revive a total of 50 such airports, airstrips," the minister informed parliament.

"The scheme is to be implemented over a period of three years," Sinha said in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha during question hour.

In reply to another question in the Rajya Sabha, the minister disclosed that revival of such un-served and under-served airports under the NCAP, 2016 will be done on a "demand driven" basis.

"Revival of such airports is to be "demand driven", depending on firm demand from the airline operators and where the state government agrees to provide various concessions envisaged in the policy," the minister said.

--IANS

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