West Bengal needs to develop a civil aviation policy that will help attract investors to the state, Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu suggested to the Suvendu Adhikari government.
“Proactive states have developed a civil aviation policy, and, in a similar manner, the government here must develop a civil aviation policy, keeping in mind the aspirations of the people and the strengths and opportunities available here. This will encourage investors, airlines and those investing in airports to come to the state,” said Naidu.
The civil aviation minister was in Kolkata on Monday to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the West Bengal government to develop four new airports in the state. This initiative is part of the UDAN scheme to develop regional airports in the stat, under which the Union government will spend ₹29,000 crore in the next decade. The MoU includes airports at Chhara in Purulia district, Kalaikunda in West Midnapore district, Balurghat in South Dinajpur district and Hasimara in Alipurduar district.
The minister also spoke about the need for a second major airport in Kolkata to handle growing air traffic.
“We have to create a manufacturing ecosystem,” he said before speaking about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of building an aircraft in the country within the next two years as part of the larger goal. “The larger goal will be accelerated if state governments actively participate in manufacturing components and materials and bring in more investments,” explained Naidu.
“If state governments prepare a civil aviation policy and step forward to attract investments in civil aviation and manufacturing, the ministry of civil aviation will support them in taking the initiative forward.”
Apart from the MoU to develop four regional airports, the minister stressed the need for a second major airport in Kolkata to share the traffic load, similar to the arrangement in Mumbai and Delhi.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said 2,000 acres of land had been identified in Kalyani for a new airport.
Behala Flying School will also be included in the country’s list of Flying Training Organisations (FTOs) as India looks to expand its commercial aircraft fleet from 850, with an additional 1,640 aircraft already ordered. The CM said he was confident after the Behala Flying Club was given the green light to be developed into a significant FTO.
Referring to Captain Smit Machchhar, who saved close to 180 passengers on a flydubai aircraft on September 30, despite being stabbed by his Omani co-pilot, thereby foiling a terrorist attack on Israel, the CM said, “The way one of our pilots, Smit, showed his bravery and saved innocent lives, should inspire the next generation in West Bengal to become pilots. They will not just serve the country, they will serve the world.”
Aviation is seen as part of West Bengal’s industrial resurgence, which the BJP government in the state has promised. The aviation push is expected to facilitate industrial growth in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities across the districts and pave the way for international cargo operations connecting the state to global markets.
