Rajasthan chamber wants more international flights

The Federation of Rajasthan Exporters (FORE), an apex body of exporters' associations, has requested Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel to increase flights to Rajasthan.

FORE, which represents almost all exporters of commodities, in a letter to Patel said inadequate infrastructure was hitting exports from the state.

"Export is regarded as an engine of liberalisation and structural reform in the economy. Sustained growth in export is not possible in the absence of proper and adequate infrastructure," FORE said.

Delhi and Mumbai are two gateways to Rajasthan from abroad. The nearest international airport is Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI), New Delhi.

Flights on the Jaipur-Delhi route have got reduced. Even one flight to Bangkok had been discontinued, the federation said in the letter.

Though Rajasthan remains one of the top five tourist destinations in the country, the state's share of the foreign tourist pie has decreased from 48.4 per cent in 1991 to 28.7 per cent in 2004, according to a Ficci-Crisil study.