Mangaluru International Airport receives level-3 accreditation from ACI
Mangaluru, Feb 16: The Mangaluru International Airport has received the coveted level-3 airport customer experience accreditation from the Airports Council International (ACI), a release from the MIA here said on Friday.
Issued by the ACI on February 2, the accreditation is valid for one year. The airport had received the level-2 accreditation in December 2022.
The accreditation aims to further strengthen the continued endeavour of this public asset to enhance customer experience. Airports that participate in this process undergo a comprehensive assessment and training that includes stakeholder-employee engagement and staff development.
It is the only accreditation programme in the airport industry worldwide that provides a 360 degree view of customer experience management.
The level-3 accreditation recognises MIA for advanced practices on the specific domain of service design and innovation, airport culture, governance, operation improvement, measurement, customer understanding and strategy.
The MIA is the first airport in India under the 5 million passenger category to reach this coveted milestone, the release said.
Luis Felipe de Oliveira, director general and CEO at ACI - ACI World in a LinkedIn post congratulated Mangaluru International Airport on achieving the accreditation, which will be conferred at the annual ACI customer experience global summit that will be held at Atlanta, USA from September 24 to 26 this year.
The airport has now set its sights on the level-4 of this accreditation, which necessitates airport-community collaboration, the release said.
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Maharashtra government considers tweaks to Ladki Bahin scheme amid fiscal strain: Reports
Mumbai: A day after the Mahayuti coalition secured a landslide victory in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, attention has turned to the Ladki Bahin Yojana, a flagship welfare scheme that played a pivotal role in attracting women voters.
The scheme, launched in July 2024, offers ₹1,500 per month to economically disadvantaged women aged 18 to 65. The Mahayuti, in its election manifesto, pledged to increase the amount to ₹2,100 per month, a promise now under scrutiny due to fiscal concerns. With the scheme projected to cost the exchequer ₹33,300 crore from July 2024 to March 2025, bureaucrats are exploring ways to revise its provisions to prevent a financial imbalance.
Finance Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar hinted at the challenges, stressing the need for "financial discipline." A senior bureaucrat confirmed that plans are underway to prune the list of beneficiaries, citing the inclusion of ineligible individuals due to incomplete Aadhaar seeding and lack of required ration cards. According to the finance department, nearly one crore women out of the 2.43 crore registered beneficiaries may not qualify for the scheme.
The state’s debt burden is already projected to reach ₹7.82 lakh crore for the fiscal year 2024-25. Officials warn that continuing the scheme in its current form could impact the government’s ability to pay salaries by January. Despite these concerns, the ruling coalition is hesitant to reduce the beneficiary list, likely due to the upcoming civic elections.
Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik is expected to present renegotiation proposals to the new chief minister soon. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena spokesperson Krishna Hegde credited the scheme for increasing the number of women voters and boosting the coalition’s vote share. NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar also acknowledged the scheme’s role in mobilising women voters.
Other welfare measures introduced by the government include an electricity bill waiver for farmers and three free LPG cylinders annually for six million households. However, the financial viability of such initiatives remains a pressing concern.
