MOPA (PERNEM): Stating that the proposed international airport at Mopa is a “win-win” situation for Goa, Union Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu on Saturday said the airport is an icon of tomorrow’s development and growth of aviation sector and can be promoted as a cargo hub for Southern India.
Prabhu, who made his maiden visit to the Mopa airport site at Pernem, recommended that the airport can be promoted as tourist attraction by developing commercial projects like entertainment park and stated that there would be no compromise in providing jobs to locals, especially those who have volunteered to give land for the project.
“I am here to ensure that this ambitious project is completed on time and how can we add more dimension to the development of this project. From two and half years from now, first flight should take off from here. Both Dabolim and Mopa can work together,” Prabhu told media persons post inspection.
Prabhu said that focus can be laid to promote the airport as a cargo hub. “I have decided we must now develop like the passenger (growth) which is growing at 20 per cent, aviation market can also grow because of cargo. Cargo is one of the contributors of trade and economy. We can go for night cargo flights as there are no passenger flights at that time,” he said.
“We can actually think about ideas like this so that Goa airport not only brings in passengers like this but truly will bring prosperity for Goa through cargo movement,” he added.
He also proposed that the airport be promoted as an aviation hub for southern India because the entire west coast of India can be serviced from here. “We have to think about this as an international airport hub,” he explained.
“There is almost 234 acres of land marked for commercial, you should think about developing huge entertainment park here. I think this airport should be a tourist attraction,” he opined.
He recalled that the foundation stone for the project was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar. “I would consider it as not a foundation stone for the airport, but a foundation for the future growth of Goa keeping in mind what Goa should look like and what Goa’s requirement should be,” he said.
“Just imagine, by 2025 some 30 million tourists will be coming to Goa because of a new airport. We know that one tourist coming creates at least 15 jobs and once we have an airport of this kind, we will be creating so many jobs in Goa that probably Goa will not only will reach full employment but I hope many would like to come to Goa for such kind of jobs,” the Minister added.
The Minister said that the airport is a win-win situation for State. “State has given the land and the private sector is going to develop it with revenue sharing model. So more the airport develops, more the revenue will come to the State government, more the passengers come here, more will be the employment generation and with more tourists will bring in more revenue for the State. So it is a win win for Goa and therefore we are really looking forward for this airport taking off as early as possible,” he said.
On the employment front, the Minister said that the government has already decided that since the people willingly came and offered the land, they should be given first preference in jobs. “There is already an inbuilt provision that whatever jobs will be created here will be offered to the locals. And that is what will be on cardinal principle and no compromise will be made of any kind,” he said.
The Minister said that to ensure that locals get the skills, skill development programme will be launched.
Putting more light on that Director Civil Aviation Suresh Shanbhogue said that under the concession agreement there is provision for setting up of an aviation skill development centre. “It is one of the conditions posed to the concessioner. We have already in process of preparing the blueprint, by the time the airport will be commissioned by 2020, skill development will be for the local people, mapping of jobs and unemployment will be also done, they will be accommodated on priority,” he said.
Union AYUSH Minister Shripad Naik, Rajya Sabha MP Vinay Tendulkar, Tourism Minister Manohar Azgaonkar, Mandrem MLA Dayanand Sopte and GMR officials were present during the event.
