In wake of modernization the aviation infrastructure, Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh announced that government is seeking a plan to push construction of 10 to 15 Greenfield airports in the next few years.
Among them, Chennai and Kolkata are likely on top list and for that plan would be applied soon, while there are other 50 airports of the non-metro areas that would also be modernize in next two years.
100% FDI participation in upcoming 10-15 Greenfield airports is also allowed by the government, Mr. Singh confirmed, in sake of targeting a double-digit growth in the aviation sector through a mixed strategy of public sector, private sector, joint ventures and public- private partnership.
“There may have been a temporary setback as we see a decline at present, but air traffic is expected to grow substantially. We are growing at nine per cent at present, but hope to go into double-digit figures,” Mr. Singh said.
While asking about the European Union’s controversial carbon tax which is being rejected by India along with other countries, Singh said that India would request the delegates to oppose any unilateral environment measures such as imposed by EU-ETS (Emission Trading Scheme).
He also consisted that GPS Aided Geo- Augmented Navigation,(GAGAN) system, overlapping with European Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS) on the West and Japanese SBAS on the East, is expected to be reach its final operational stage in June 2013.
