Himachal CM seeks Rs 2,000 cr grant for Mandi airport

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur on Tuesday met Finance Commission Chairman N K Singh and sought a Rs 2,000-crore special purpose grant to construct an international airport in the Mandi district.

Thakur said the Airports Authority of India has completed a technical survey related to obstacle limitation surfaces at Nagchala in the Mandi district and discussions are on for construction of airport fit for the operation of wide-bodied aircraft.

The chief minister requested Singh to consider state-specific grants for infrastructure development in various sectors and railway expansion, an official release said.

During the meeting, Thakur said the state is vulnerable to natural disasters, such as flash floods, cloudbursts, forest fires, droughts, cold waves and avalanches, and, therefore, there is a need to enhance the size of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).

He requested the Commission that SDRF is funded 100 per cent by the Central government.

The state needed to be compensated for the externalities arising from environment conservation and forest protection, he added.

Thakur requested the Commission to recommend adequate revenue deficit grants so that not only the deficit is neutralised but the state also has adequate revenue surplus to fund a part of the capital expenditure.

The chief minister was accompanied by a team of senior state officials.