Union Budget 2023: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday said that the government has decided to revive 50 additional airports, helipads, water aero drones and advanced landing grounds. She said this decision has been taken to enhance regional air connectivity across the country.
"50 additional airports, helipads, water aero drones, and advanced landing grounds will be revived to improve regional air connectivity," said Sitharaman in Lok Sabha while presenting yet another paperless budget.
In the previous Union Budget, the Finance Minister had allocated Rs 10,667 crore for the civil aviation ministry. The regional connectivity programme UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) will get Rs 600.7 crore of the overall allocation, while AI Asset Holdings Ltd will receive Rs 9,259 crore for servicing the loans transferred to the special purpose vehicle (SPV) for the financial restructuring of Air India.
What Finance Minister said on promotion of tourism
Meanwhile, Sitharaman also said that the promotion of tourism will be taken up on a "mission mode" with the active participation of states, the convergence of government programmes, and public-private partnerships. In her budget speech, she also stressed that the country offers "immense attraction" for domestic as well as foreign tourists.
She said that there is a large potential to be tapped in tourism as the sector holds huge opportunities for jobs and entrepreneurship for the youth in particular.
"50 tourist destinations will be selected through challenge mode to be developed as a whole package for domestic and international tourism," Sitharaman added.
Notably, this year's Budget holds much significance as the country is scheduled to have the next Lok Sabha election in April-May 2024. As per established tradition, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman along with ministers of state Pankaj Chaudhary and Bhagwat Karad and Finance Secretary TV Somanathan called on President Droupadi Murmu.
(With inputs from agencies)
