Eight airports have come up in North East in last nine years, says Scindia
New Delhi(PTI): Civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Friday said eight airports have come up in the North East, including four in Arunachal Pradesh, in the last nine years, and emphasised that the region must be the gateway from the country to the South East.
Scindia, who will inaugurate new infrastructure facilities at Tezu airport in Arunachal Pradesh on September 24, said that in 2014, the state did not have a single airport and today, it has four airports.
The airports are Pasighat, Zero, Hollongi and Tezu.
In the 66 years of the country's independence, Scindia said the North East had only nine airports and in the last nine years, with the prime minister's resolve, the number has almost doubled to 17.
"The North East must be the gateway to India and from India, the gateway to the South East. This has been the prime minister's resolve and in line with that resolve and commitment in the last nine years, we have seen a transformation occur in the lives of people in the North East from the point of view of infrastructure development and social development...," he said here.
Tezu airport has been developed on 212 acres of land and is capable of handling operations for ATR 72 type of aircraft.
"Airports Authority of India (AAI) undertook the development and upgradation work to operationalise Tezu airport at the request of the state government. The works undertaken for Rs 170 crore includes the extension of the runway... and the construction of a new apron for 2 ATR 72 type aircraft, construction of a new terminal building, and a fire station cum ATC Tower," as per an official release issued on Wednesday.
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Karnataka govt seeks agency to manage rural drinking water units: Minister
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge on Wednesday said the state government is working to appoint an agency to manage clean drinking water units in rural areas.
The state Rural Development and Panchayat Raj minister was responding to a question by Hirekerur MLA U B Banakar in the legislative assembly.
"In the rural areas of the state, many clean drinking water units have been set up under corporate social responsibility (CSR) grants, including contributions by MLAs and MPs, and handed over to gram panchayats. After the maintenance period, problems have arisen in keeping these units operational," Priyank said.
He added that a proposal has been made to award a maintenance contract to one of the country’s reputed drinking water unit manufacturing companies, but so far, no companies have come forward to take up the work.
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"The government is continuing its efforts and will resolve this problem soon," he said.
On a query regarding fluoride content in water, the minister said water quality testing is being conducted monthly in all zilla panchayats.
"Laboratories have been opened for this purpose. Around 6.5 lakh water samples have been tested across the state, and water testing kits have been provided to villages," he added.
