(a) whether the Government proposes to develop and modernise some of the airports of the country through Public Private Partnership (PPP);
(b) if so, the details and the present status thereof, State/UT-wise;
(c) whether the Government contemplates to connect all the district headquarters with airports; and
(d) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government in this regard?
Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION
(Shri Jayant Sinha)
(a) to (d): Ministry of Civil Aviation in the newly approved National Civil Aviation Policy, 2016, has provision for promotion of regional Connectivity by way of revival of un-served and under-served airports/airstrips.Revival of such airports is to be "demand driven", depending on firm demand from the airline operators and where the State Government agrees to provide various concessions envisaged in the Policy.There are certain areas of the country where airstrips/airports are un-served or under-served as viability of the operations has always been a matter of concern. In order to address the issue of connectivity, the Policy provides for development of airstrips/airports, without insisting on their financial viability at an indicative cost of Rs.50 crores to Rs.100 crores. State Governments can explore possibilities of developing these airports through Public Private Partnership (PPP) also.