The Odisha cabinet has given the green light to the Air Connectivity Policy, paving the way for airlines to spread their wings and launch new flights from various airports in the state. This policy offers some serious financial perks to airlines, giving them the nudge they need to take off.
Apart from the bustling Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar and the Veer Surendra Sai Airport in Jharsuguda, Odisha boasts smaller airports in Jeypore, Rourkela, and Utkela. With this new policy, the government is ready to dish out some cash to airlines as viability gap funding to kickstart services from these airports. They’re talking Rs 5 lakh for domestic routes and Rs 10 lakh for international routes, with the potential for even more moolah for longer routes.
This policy is all about making air travel more accessible across Odisha, in line with the National Civil Aviation Policy 2016 and the UDAN scheme. But hey, airlines can’t just waltz in and claim the cash – they’ve got to meet some strict criteria, like having a minimum aircraft capacity and a commitment to keeping those planes in the air.
To keep things running smoothly, a high-power committee led by the chief secretary will be keeping an eye on things, making sure the policy is doing its job. And hey, they’re not just focusing on flights – the cabinet also gave the nod to some tweaks in the Subhadra Yojana financial assistance scheme, making sure over 1 crore women get their fair share of the pie.
Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja is keeping a close watch on things, with over 1 crore people already signed up and more than 60 lakh applications approved. Looks like Odisha is ready to take flight – both in the air and on the ground!
The cabinet has officially approved the paddy procurement policy for the Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2024-25, which began on October 18 and is scheduled to conclude on September 30, 2025.
According to officials, the state government has established a target to procure 80 lakh metric tonnes of paddy during this season, which translates to approximately 54 lakh metric tonnes of rice.
Officials have emphasized that there is no restriction on procuring a higher quantity if more paddy is brought to the mandis by registered farmers.
In addition, the cabinet has given its approval for an amendment to the Odisha GST Act through an ordinance, as the assembly was not in session, based on the recommendation of the GST Council.
