Union govt. urged to resume UDAN scheme to offer low-fare air travel
Amarnath Patil, Kalaburagi district president of National Industries And Commerce Committee — an industry and commerce arm of Kalaburagi All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha — urged the Union government to resume UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagarik), a low-fare regional air-connectivity scheme for the common citizen.
Addressing a media conference in Kalaburagi on Monday, he expressed discontentment over the abrupt cancellation of the Union government’s ambitious scheme under which common people travelled in flights at low costs.
“UDAN was a revolutionary scheme of the Union government that offered extremely low-cost air travel to people. Because of this scheme, smaller cities like Kalaburagi were connected by air with Delhi, Bengaluru, Tirupathi and other major destinations. This scheme facilitated small-scale industries to flourish. Now, the scheme is abruptly stopped. It is a serious blow. The resumption of the scheme will improve the region’s tourism, business, and educational activities,” Mr. Patil said urging the government to resume it as soon as possible.
Article 371(J)
Expressing discontentment over the “improper implementation” of the Special Status accorded to the Kalyana Karnataka region under Article 371(J) of the Constitution, Mr. Patil urged the government to take measures to ensure pro-active implementation of the Special Status.
“Although more than 10 years have lapsed, no visible development is seen in the Kalyana Karnataka region. It is necessary to implement Article 371(J) in employment, education and basic infrastructure sectors on the model of similar status granted to Vidharbha in Maharastra, Telanagana and North Eastern states,” Mr. Patil said.
Mr. Patil, who headed the Kalyana Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the previous term, also demanded that the Centre take measures to establish a new railway division with Kalaburagi as its headquarters.
New Railway Division
“Considering the Justice Sarin Committee report submitted in 1984, a new Railway Division with its headquarters in Kalaburagi was announced in the Railway Budget of 2014. A Detailed Project Report (DPR) was prepared and a Special Officer was appointed to implement the project. Even the lands required for the administrative office were acquired. However, the project has not been implemented even 10 years after its announcement. We strongly demand that the Union government implement the project which could be a boon for the development of the backward Kalyana Karnataka,” he said.
Thanking the Union government for sanctioning a mega textile park for Kalaburagi, Mr. Patil urged Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to make budgetary allocations to the project which was expected to boost the economy resulting in a higher per capita in the region.
Other demands that Mr. Patil listed for the consideration of the Union government included the establishment of a National Investment and Manufacturing Zone (NIMZ) in Kalaburagi under the Make In India scheme, classification of Dal Mill and Rice Mills as agro-based industries to help farmers and dal and rice mill owners in Kalyana Karnataka region, increasing the period for declaration of non-performing assets from 90 days to 180 days, sanctioning Special Economic Zones to Kalyana Karnataka for boosting its economic development, the establishment of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at ESIC Hospital Complex in Kalaburagi and speeding up the work of Surat-Chennai Economic Corridor that passes through Kalyana Karnataka region.
Committee conveners Anand S. Dandoti, Chandrashekhar Bijapure, Lingaraj Bhavikatti, Chanbasayya Nandikol, Bhimashankar Patil and Bhimrao Ptil Dhangapur were present.
- Telegram
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