Four flying training organisations to be in Karnataka under PPP model: Jyotiraditya Scindia

Four of the eight new flying training organisations (FTOs) -- two each in Belagavi and Kalaburgi airports -- under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) will be in Karnataka, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Thursday as he unveiled new policies and targets for 100 days.

He also said there will be no re-scheduling of the bidding process for Air India, which is scheduled on September 15 while announcing that the government plans to operationalise five airports, six heliports and 50 routes in the next 100 days.

Addressing a press conference here, Scindia said the Airports Authority of India has liberalised its policy on Flying Training Organisations by abolishing the airport royalty (revenue sharing payment by FTOs to AAI) and keeping the land rentals at minimum to Rs 15 lakh from several crores.

He said new FTOs at AAI-run airports are being set up under the PPP model. In the first phase, two each FTOs are being operationalised in Belagavi and Kalaburgi in Karnataka and one each in Jalgaon (Maharashtra), Khajuraho (Madhya Pradesh) and Lilabari (Assam).

He said soft launch of training operations at the two FTOs in Kalaburgi has already started on August 15.

In a bid to make India 'Global MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) hub', he said the policy has been liberalised. To boost MRO activities, he said the eight airports, including Delhi, Kolkata, Tirupati, Begumpet, Bhopal, Chennai and Chandigarh have been selected to attract investments.

He also said discussions are also going on for convergence between civil and military works with respect to MRO.

In a bid to bring in transparency, he said the allotment for MRO activities will be through open tender and the period of allotment has been increased from 3-5 years to 30 years. The renewal of contract, which was case to case basis at present, will be through bidding and the existing leaseholder will have the first right to refuse.

On the 100-day targets, which are to be realised by November 30, he said there are four "infrastructure" targets -- readying Kushinagar airport, which would be a boost for Buddhist Circuit, for inauguration, starting the procedures for new terminal buildings at Dehradun and Agartala airports, and laying foundation stone of Jewar airport.

He said the new terminal building in Dehradun airport at a cost of Rs 457 crore would increase its capacity from handling 250 fliers per hour to 1,800 per hour while it would rise from 500 to 1,200 in Agartala airport.

Among the eight policy targets are operationalisation of UDAN routes, airports and heliports.

On refunds, he said the government has now made the airlines also responsible for air ticket refund process along with travel agents.

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