Bhopal, April 30 (IANS) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Thursday said the state is aiming to emerge as a national role model in the aviation sector, emphasising its growing importance in strengthening regional connectivity and boosting tourism.
Speaking at a review meeting of the Aviation Department at his office, the Chief Minister said that expansion of air services would not only improve access for passengers from remote areas but also benefit neighbouring states while giving a push to the state’s tourism economy.
“Aviation services should be expanded in a way that Madhya Pradesh emerges as a national model in this sector,” he said.
Emphasising infrastructure development, CM Yadav directed officials to prioritise the construction of helipads in emerging metropolitan areas and key industrial hubs. He stressed the need to involve private players to accelerate the expansion of heli-services, noting that improved last-mile connectivity would enhance access to remote and economically significant regions.
The Chief Minister also reviewed the progress of the Ujjain airport project and instructed officials to ensure timely completion of all ongoing works. The airport, spread across 95 acres, is being developed with a planned runway length of 2,700 metres within a total development span of 4,100 metres.
CM Yadav further called for the operationalisation of the ‘PM Shri Heli Tourism Service’ to boost religious and heritage tourism across the state.
Highlighting the employment potential in the aviation sector, the Chief Minister directed higher education institutions to promote aviation-related courses under the National Education Policy (NEP) framework.
“With the expansion of aviation services, the demand for trained pilots and skilled personnel will increase. It is important that the youth of Madhya Pradesh benefit from employment-oriented aviation courses,” he said.
Reviewing policy outcomes, Chief Minister Yadav noted that the ‘Madhya Pradesh Civil Aviation Policy, 2025’, introduced in February last year, has begun yielding results.
He said efforts should be made to expand air connectivity to key religious destinations such as Varanasi and Patna to further strengthen tourism.
It was also informed during the meeting that financial assistance is being provided to airlines to improve connectivity in under-served regions. As a result, around 24,000 passengers have used air services from Rewa over the past six months.
Current operations include flights connecting Rewa with Delhi, Raipur, and Indore, with occupancy rates ranging between 70 and 85 per cent across routes, reflecting growing demand for regional air travel.
–IANS
pd/pgh
