Govt to increase number of airports, water aerodromes and heliports to boost connectivity

New Delhi: Civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Monday said the government will increase the number of airports, water aerodromes and heliports to 200 in the next five years from 145 currently to boost air connectivity, and asked eight states to lower exorbitant VAT on air turbine fuel.

Replying to a supplementary question during the Question Hour in Rajya Sabha, the minister informed that 28 states charge VAT on air turbine fuel (ATF) of only 1-4 per cent.

"Only eight states left in the country that charge exorbitant VAT on ATF between 20-30 per cent," Scindia said.

He urged TMC MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray to request the West Bengal government to lower the VAT rate on ATF.

If the state government reduces it, Scindia said, this will certainly lead to a "new impulse for greater connectivity into West Bengal, even greater refuelling in West Bengal and greater revenue".

Ray had asked a supplementary question that how soon the connectivity between Kolkata, Malda, Balurghat and Coochbehar would commence.

In reply to another supplementary question, Scindia asserted that it's the central government's responsibility to make sure that every state emerges in the area of civil aviation.

"In the last eight years, where we had only 74 airports until 2013-14 in the country, we have added 71 airports, water aerodrome and heliports, increased it to 145. This number will surpass 200 in the next five years, increasing air connectivity in our country," he said.

Scindia said the airport in Chennai is very much a concern for the citizen in Tamil Naidu. "That airport in Parandur also, we are looking at very aggressively, so that we can provide a new greenfield terminal in Chennai," he added.

The minister highlighted that India has a very effective international to domestic air connectivity and also domestic tier I to tier II cities.

"But certainly, concentration has to be on last mile connectivity," he said, adding that it was important to have last-mile connectivity through civil aviation.

"That last mile connectivity can only be given by small planes less than 20 seaters," Scindia said, adding that the ministry has tweaked Udan scheme to promote small aircrafts.

Under the small aircraft scheme launched in Udan 4.2, he said, a total of 132 routes have been awarded, of which 16 are helicopter routes and 50 are sea plane routes.

In a supplementary question related to Amarda airstrip in Odisha, the minister said the state government has to pay Rs 26 crore to the defence ministry. He said the state government has to develop this airport.

On the progress on Rourkela airport in view of the upcoming international hockey tournament, an agreement has been signed between SAIL and Airport Authority of India (AAI) for the development of this airport.

The AAI has invested Rs 28 crore for the development of ATR in this airport.

To make this airport operational, Scindia said SAIL and AAI have also signed an agreement on Monday for establishment of CNS facilities. He said the inspection by the DGCI is pending.

In a written reply, Scindia said the ministry launched Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) - UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) in November 2016 to enhance regional air connectivity from unserved and underserved airports in the country and making air travel affordable to the masses.

UDAN is a market driven scheme. Interested airlines, based on their assessment of demand on particular routes, submit their proposals at the time of bidding under UDAN.

Eighteen unserved airstrips namely, Amarda Road, Angul, Barbil, Birasal, Gudari, Hirakund, Jayakpur, Jeypore, Lanjigarh, Nawapara, Padampur, Rairangpur, Raisuan, Rangeilunda, Sukinda, Theruboli, Tushra and Utkela, are available in the UDAN scheme document for Odisha.

Five airports namely Jeypore, Utkela, Rourkela, Jharsuguda and Rangeilunda have been identified for up-gradation for the operation of flights under UDAN. Jharsuguda and Jeypore airports have been developed/upgraded and UDAN flights have commenced therefrom.