New Delhi [India], November 20 : Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai met with Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu at Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan in New Delhi on Wednesday.
During the meeting, both leaders discussed strengthening the air connectivity of the state of Chhattisgarh and also the development of other regional airports.
The Secretary to the Chief Minister, Rahul Bhagat, and the Investment Commissioner of Chhattisgarh, posted in New Delhi, Ritu Sen, were also present during the meeting.
Earlier in October, Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the Maa Mahamaya airport in Darima village of Chhattisgarh's Surguja district.
According to a government release, this air service is expected to usher in a new chapter for millions in Surguja and nearby districts such as Jashpur, Surajpur, Balrampur, Korea, and Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur. Residents will now have easier access to major cities across the country, offering a more cost-effective and time-saving travel option.
The airport now connects the remote tribal district of Surguja with air services to the rest of the country, the release mentioned.
The upgrade of the airstrip at Maa Mahamaya Airport in Ambikapur was carried out under the Government of India's Regional Connectivity Scheme. The airport spans 365 acres and was constructed at a cost of Rs 80 crore. It is classified as a 3C VFR category airport, capable of accommodating 72-seater aircraft. The terminal building has been expanded to cater to an estimated capacity of 500,000 passengers annually, as per the release.
Earlier, November 14, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai announced the launch of the state's new Industrial Policy for 2024-2030, aimed at driving economic growth, generating employment, and fostering sustainable industrial development. The new policy focuses on key areas such as employment generation, skill development, export promotion, investment attraction, and environmental protection. There are also specific exemptions for women entrepreneurs, members of the third gender, Agniveer soldiers, retired ex-servicemen, entrepreneurs from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and surrendered Naxalites, offering them pathways into public and private sector employment.