The Central government has fixed a target of operationalising 100 unserved and underserved airports and starting at least 1,000 air routes under the UDAN scheme, informed Union Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. He also said that privatisation is required in the field of aviation as it is not the government's specialisation to run airports. "My ministry has set a target to operationalise 100 unserved and underserved airports and start at least 1,000 air routes under the UDAN scheme," he said.
Speaking at a press conference over the Union Budget 2021-22, the minister said that domestic flight services from Bilaspur town in Chhattisgarh will start from March 1 under the regional connectivity scheme.
"Fifty-six airports have already been upgraded and over 700 routes awarded, of which air-service has commenced on 311 routes under the UDAN scheme since it was launched in 2017 with a budget of Rs 4,500 crore," Puri said.
On this route, flight services will begin from Bilaspur airport from March 1. At present, the Alliance Air, a subsidiary of Air India, has been given the Bilaspur-Prayagraj-Delhi route, he said.
On budget 2021-22, Puri said that after it was presented, the stock market had shown a significant hike and the budget was also appreciated by intellectuals and independent commentators across the country.
"If the point was being raised about the privatisation of Air India, which is our national asset, its economic condition was worsened during the Congress-led UPA government," he added.
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A debt of Rs 60,000 crore has been acquired by Air India and the process of its privatisation is initiated since long, but it will be the NDA government which is going to properly develop it, said Puri, assuring that the process will be transparent through open bidding.
Puri said, "Privatisation is required as it is not the government's specialisation to run airports.” Though several airports are being run by the government successfully if privatised, the activities will increase manifold, he added.