Govt seeks Rs 1,426 cr to upgrade three airports

ibune News Service

Shimla, June 22

The state government has demanded Rs 1,426 crore for upgrading three airports and asserted that Rs 2,500 crore would be required for the construction of a new greenfield airport, fit for landing of a wide-bodied aircraft in Mandi district.

The state required Rs 500 crore each for the upgrade of Kullu and Kangra airports and Rs 426 crore for Shimla airport, said Education Minister Suresh Bharadwaj, who represented the Chief Minister at state Finance Ministers and GST Council meeting in New Delhi today.

Referring to the proposed international airport in Mandi, Bharadwaj said this would lead to better connectivity within the state.

He also pleaded that the GST on components and materials used in construction of hydropower projects should be reduced and brought on a par with wind and solar power projects as hydel projects had also been classified as renewable energy.

Urging the Centre to expedite the proposed Bhanupali-Bilaspur-Manali-Leh rail line project and convert the Pathankot-Jogindernagar rail line to broad gauge, he said the Centre should bear 100 per cent cost of the projects, which were strategic from the defence point of view.

Demanding adequate funds for the rail network in the Union Budget for the state, he said the expansion of rail network in the Himalayan state should be included among core schemes and part of national development agenda with cost sharing in the ratio of 90:10 between the Centre and the state.

Another important demand by Bharadwaj, which is major political issue in the state, was hike in import duty on apple to safeguard the interests of local growers.

Stressing that the ropeways were the effective alternative for addressing the issue of connectivity in remote areas as well as traffic congestion, the minister requested 283 ropeways to connect villages with less than 250 population be approved for funding under the PMSGY-1. He pleaded that it would save the forest cover and environmental issues would also be addressed.