Kolkata: Union civil minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Sunday said that Kolkata needs a bigger and new airport with a size of 2 lakh square meter and also that he had been personally trying to meet the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of the state for past six months for asking about land from the state government.
“The airport in Kolkata has reached its maximum capacity and the city needs a new airport. We have been asking for a new site for the past several years. The present airport of the city caters 2.5 crore people but we wanted to serve at least 3.5 crore people. But the land to set up another airport is being denied by the state government,” said Scindia.
Pointing at land availability issues plaguing the airport expansion projects across the state, Scindia said, “Bagdogra airport is facing the land acquisition trouble. We have been sending them repeated reminders, but nothing has happened so far. The same situation can be seen for Hasimara or Kalaikunda airport.”
Slamming the Chief Minister for claiming that the Union Budget is a ‘zero’ budget, the civil minister said that the BJP led Central government had planned several crores rupees for developing and building roads and highways in the state.
“Over 150 lakh crores are sanctioned for developing roads and highways in West Bengal but even then Mamata Banerjee calls it a zero budget. Budget has been allocated from the Hospitality sector to 5G to Jal Jeevan Mission and every scheme is including Bengal including this state but even then the CM is slamming the BJP government. She should count how many zeros there are in 150 lakh crores,” said Scindia.
Scindia also added that Gross Domestic State product in Bengal was growing at 5.5% while the national average was 7.1%.
“From 99 lakh crore in 2014 to 150 lakh crore in 2022, exports rates have grown under the BJP government. The claims can be false but the statistics cannot be false,” mentioned the Union Civil Minister.
Scindia also mentioned that the Union Budget comprises three ‘P’s which are ‘Proactive’, ‘Progressive’ and ‘Propeople’.
