Chhattisgarh CM meets Union civil aviation minister, demands strengthening air connectivity
Raipur (PTI): Chhattisgarh capital Raipur will soon get direct air connectivity with Singapore and Dubai with Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu accepting the demand raised by Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai.
Sai met Naidu Wednesday in New Delhi and discussed strengthening the air connectivity and development of regional airports in the state, the public relations department said in a statement in Raipur.
The chief minister requested the Union minister to grant international status to Swami Vivekanand Airport, Raipur, emphasising that the move will encourage the economic development of Chhattisgarh and bolster air connectivity.
Sai also discussed the need for direct flights between Raipur and Singapore and Raipur and Dubai.
"As the passenger traffic on these routes is quite good, these services will prove to be commercially beneficial," Sai was quoted as saying.
Naidu consented to start international air service from Swami Vivekanand Airport soon, the Chhattisgarh government stated.
Naidu has also assured the chief minister to look into his demand for developing Raipur airport as a central cargo hub, it said.
The Chief Minister raised a demand for introducing new flights to connect Ambikapur Airport with major cities like Raipur, Varanasi, Prayagraj and Ayodhya, it said.
Sai also demanded restoring financial support for RCS (regional connectivity scheme) flights at Jagdalpur and Bilaspur airports. He said that increasing connectivity on these routes will help in regional development, it said.
The flight service operated by IndiGo Airlines between Jagdalpur and Raipur was stopped due to a shortage of passengers, the chief minister told Naidu and urged him to restore the service citing the immense tourism potential in Bastar.
A proposal for upgrading Bilaspur airport to the 3C IFR category was also put forward by the CM in the meeting, the statement said.
The Union Civil Minister has directed officials to start the night landing facility at Bilaspur airport, it added.
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Article 370 would not have been revoked had PDP not joined hands with BJP in 2014: NC leader Wani
Srinagar, Nov 20: Senior National Conference leader Nasir Aslam Wani on Wednesday claimed that Articles 370 and 35A would not have been revoked in Jammu and Kashmir had the PDP not joined hands with the BJP in 2014 to form government in the erstwhile state.
He alleged that the Mehbooba Mufti-led party never thought of contributing to the development and progress of people in Jammu and Kashmir.
"They never thought of how people will benefit and progress. They are trying to incite people," Wani, an advisor to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, said.
He said the opposition party should do some introspection.
"Had they (PDP) not supported the BJP in 2014, we would not have lost Article 370 and Article 35A. We would also not have seen all this destruction that took place in the past 10 years," Wani told reporters in reply to a question on the PDP alleging that the NC was not serious about the resolution passed in the Assembly earlier this month.
"We will do what we have promised in our manifesto. They (PDP) are indulging in political chaos. They have always supported chaos, be it in 2008 or 2010. Then it came to haunt them in 2016," he said referring to summer unrest in the Valley between 2008 and 2016.
Wani said the PDP has never thought of contributing to the development and progress of people and advised the opposition party to do some introspection.
