Jamshedpur, July 7: A K Srivastava, president of Jamshedpur Citizen Forum and a Trustee of Adityapur Small Industries Association (ASIA) and Singbhum Chamber of Commerce and Industries (SCCI), has written to Jayant Sinha, Minister of Civil Aviation, demanding better air connectivity in Jharkhand and to develop airports in Jamshedpur, Hazaribagh and other towns of the state.
A K Srivastava who is also the convener of MSME Panel of CII Jharkhand, said in the letter to Sinha, �You have very successfully steered the fiscal policy of Government of India including administrative cost control and investment policy particularly 100% FDI in many sectors. New MPs have been inducted in the ministry and one minister Prakash Javadekar has been elevated to the cabinet rank.�
�Based on your performance people in Jharkhand were expecting some elevation in your case also because you have been liked by people from every walk of life and members from different political parties. You have been elevated and given independent charge of a very important department keeping in view the FDI in different sector aviation will play a very-very important role.�
�Road and rail are very important modes for transportation of passenger as well as goods and services, but unless we have a good and easy air connectivity to different places.
It will certainly attract not only FDI but will promote eco and religious tourism in the country which will earn foreign exchange. There are many places all over country where enhancement in air connectivity is most needed at the same time new airport have to be developed at many places,� the letter stated.
You belong to Jharkhand and I hope you should think of developing better air connectivity in state of Jharkhand. We have only Ranchi Airport in existence where airport has to be expanded and more connectivity to different places is needed by conducting a very viable survey. Air strip is available at Hazaribagh, Dhanbad, Bokaro, and Jamshedpur and at other district headquarters that has to be developed and interlinked with air connectivity with Ranchi and Kolkata.
Development of Hazaribagh airport is a must because it will cater to the needs of coal area and due to eco-friendly climate it will also attract tourism.
Being a place near to border area of Bihar it will provide opportunity to bordering district of Bihar also. Deogarh airport is in process of being developed. Air strip is available at Chakulia in East Singhbhum district it was developed in Second World War.
There was a move to develop in a full fledged airport which may cater the needs of Ghatsila, Baharagora and the neighboring place of West Bengal that is Kharagpur etc. �I am stationed at Jamshedpur for last 48 years and hence I will suggest to develop that this airstrip for opening institute of training, aircraft maintenance and cargo,� Srivastava wrote.
�A place for Airport has been identified by state govt. authority at Kandra in Saraikela-Kharsawan District which has been visited by R K Srivastava, a very senior IAS officer, who was earlier with Airport Authority of India.
Jamshedpur being the place for better industrial investment including FDI I will suggest to give priority.�
�Business and industrial community including corporate sector have been demanding airport at Jamshedpur and I hope the dream will come true under your leadership. Jharkhand is the state with full of mines and minerals and have the credit of locating Tata Steel, Tata Motors, Tinplate Company of India Limited, Lafarge, Cummins, TIMKEN there is better scope for investment,� Srivastava added.
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