India must be alert amid West Asia crisis, no immediate worry: Civil aviation minister

Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu on Wednesday said the country must be prepared to tackle any possible fallout of the escalating crisis in West Asia although the situation was not worrisome for India at presentDuring his maiden visit to Ranchi Naidu said every sector including civil aviation must plan proactively to minimise the impact of the crisis on people and the countryThe situation is not worrisome at present but we need to remain alert Every sector including civil aviation has to assess the impact and prepare shortterm mediumterm and longterm strategies he told reportersOn concerns over rising travel costs amid global uncertainty Naidu said the Centre had already initiated measures to shield domestic passengers from any burdenHe said the government reduced aviation turbine fuel ATF prices along with landing and parking charges at airports to stabilise fares and support the aviation sectorLast week the Delhi government reduced the valueadded tax on aviation turbine fuel from 25 per cent to 7 per centNearly five lakh passengers travel daily on domestic routes We are continuously monitoring airfares If demand rises we will increase connectivity and deploy more aircraft Naidu saidUnveiling a series of passengerfriendly initiatives at the Ranchi airport he said the Civil Aviation Ministrys modified regional connectivity scheme UDAN 2 will be launched soon with an outlay of around Rs 29000 croreAs part of the modified scheme India will have 100 new airports and 200 helipads in 10 years the Union minister said adding that to cater to air travellers Udan Yatri Cafes will be launched in all airports to provide affordable eatables to everyoneHe asserted the government was committed to making air travel more accessible and comfortableThe Union Cabinet on March 25 approved the launch and implementation of the Regional Connectivity Scheme Modified UDAN for a period of 10 years with the budgetary support of the Government of IndiaThe minister said the government was closely monitoring airfare prices and would increase flight connectivity and deploy more aircraft if demand risesAbout the ongoing investigation into last years aircraft crash in Ahmedabad Naidu said the probe was in its final stages and was being conducted in a fair transparent and accountable mannerEmphasising the international nature of the investigation since passengers on that illfated aircraft were from multiple countries Naidu said the final report would be released soon and would stand up to global scrutinyNaidu also announced that the Centre will accord top priority to providing international connectivity to Ranchis Birsa Munda Airport in addition to enhancing domestic connectivityWithin five years the number of passengers from Ranchi airport has increased to 27 lakh per annum from 17 lakh the minister said He also announced that Jharkhands Dumka Hazaribag Chaibasa Daltonganj and some other districts will get air connectivity soonJharkhands identity is changing from land of forests to land of future under Prime Minister Narendra Modis visionary guidance he saidNaidu asserted that airports boost economic activity culture and agricultural trade as these are hubs of growth and nowadays there is demand for airports and not roads or rails which shows the countrys developmentApart from Yatri Udan Cafe Naidu also launched a Flybrary at Ranchi airport to promote a reading culture among passengers with much emphasis on children by allowing them to access a variety of books while waiting for their flightsThe concept provides a refreshing break from digital screens encouraging travellers to engage with books and enrich their journeys with knowledge and entertainment he saidTravellers can pick up a book of their choice from Flybrary read it at the airport or even take it along and return it at another airport he saidThe other initiatives announced at the airport included a dedicated childrens play area and the Avasar programme which showcases products made by women entrepreneursNaidu also unveiled a statue of tribal icon Birsa Munda and took feedback on the expansion of Ranchi airport at an estimated cost of Rs 100 crore to improve regional and national connectivityHighlighting the Centres broader aviation vision the minister said the government is prioritising the upgradation of airports in state capitals and strengthening links with major cities across IndiaHe said the countrys airports were emerging as the identity of states and people development and heritageIn the last 10 years airports passengers and aircraft have doubled From only 74 airports in 2014 the country now has 165 No other country saw such a boost in airports This could be possible only through the PMs Hawai Chappal to Hawai Jahaj travel mantra Naidu saidHe received a warm welcome on his arrival in Ranchi and rode pillion with Union Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth from the airportThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies 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