Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia lashed at P Chidambaram for speaking incorrect information with regard to the growth that has been in the country’s civil aviation sector. Hitting back at Chidambaram, Scindia cleared the air and informed him through twitter that under PM Narendra Modi led government, there are 74 “operationalised” airports. Some of these airports were lying unutilized for decades & were national liabilities. Scindia added that no initiative was taken by the previous UPA government for the revival of the airports.
Earlier Chidambaram had said that only 11 new airports were built since May 2014 and which are operational. The 74 “airports” included 9 helicopter stations and two waterdromes. The waterdromes closed down soon after the ‘inauguration’! Out of the 74 “airports”, 15 are no longer in use because there are no flights!
Surge in total number of Greenfield airports during NDA rule
Jyotiraditya Scindia further said under the Greenfield Airports Policy 2008, 12 airports had operationalised since 2015. Operations in Hirasar would commence soon. Scindia tol;d Chidambaram on twitter that prior to 2014, only 3 greenfield airports were built.
Govt’s UDAN scheme gives boost to aviation infrastructure
Highlighting the progress that the country’s aviation sector has made under the UDAN scheme, Scindia informed that 74 Airports/Heliports/Water Aerodromes have been revived/upgraded and operationalised since the inception of the scheme. More than 1.23 crore people and 2.23 lakh flights have flown under the UDAN scheme – the possibility of which was NIL during the UPA regime. And that’s a FACT that can’t be washed away by sensationalist twitter posts.
Scindia further highlighted that most of these airports are the only source of direct connectivity with far-flung cities, such as Darbhanga, Jharsuguda, Jamshedpur and Rourkela etc. The UDAN scheme is also the main reason behind the birth of many regional airlines that cater to such routes.
He further added that the unprecedented capital investment of almost Rs 75000 crore in the last 10 years is directly connected to the growth of employment in the country. Lashing at the previous UPA government and at Chidambaram, Scindia stated that under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi India’s aviation sector has scaled new heights in these nine years as compared to what happened in the previous 70 years.
