AP to double airports from 7 to 14: Civil Aviation
Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu has assured full support to Andhra Pradesh in doubling its airports from seven to 14 and improving domestic and international air connectivity.
Addressing the CII Summit in Visakhapatnam, he said the Centre would extend the Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik (UDAN) regional connectivity scheme for another 10 years with an outlay of ₹30,000 crore. The scheme envisages the development of 100 new airports and 200 modern heliports. The number of airports in the country has increased from 74 in 2014 to 166 now, he said.
The Centre was also focusing on expanding air cargo networks, particularly for electronics, pharmaceuticals and perishable goods, and on developing a regional civil aircraft within two years under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, he said.
Mr. Naidu appreciated the Andhra Pradesh government’s efforts to establish India’s first Drone City at Kurnool and to promote emerging aviation technologies, including electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
Describing Andhra Pradesh as an attractive investment destination, he cited its coastline, ports, natural resources and skilled workforce, besides its potential in manufacturing, agriculture, logistics, tourism and renewable energy. He credited Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s vision for the State’s growing investment prospects and said the government was committed to translating investments into production and employment.
Referring to India’s economic progress, the Minister said the country had recorded growth of around 7.8% and that nearly 50 crore people had moved out of multidimensional poverty over the past 12 years. He also highlighted India’s vaccine outreach during the COVID-19 pandemic and the expansion of UPI, which processes more than 800 million transactions daily.
He said India was positioning itself to play a significant role in the changing global economic order by building reliable partnerships and resilient supply chains.