* Seeks upgradation of Jammu Airport
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 18: Union Minister of State for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences (Independent Charge) and MoS in the PMO Dr Jitendra Singh urged the BJP National President and Union Home Minister Raj Nath Singh to provide employment opportunities to the unemployed youth of Jammu region especially for those living in border areas.
Dr Jitendra Singh along with member of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State Committee Pawan Gupta and incharge State BJP Frontal Organizations Satish Sharma met with BJP National president and Union Home Minister Raj Nath Singh.
During the meeting, they raised issue of employment opportunities for the youth of Jammu region in Army, air force and para military belt forces. They also highlighted the problems being faced by SPOs and members of Village Defence Committees.
Pawan Gupta apprised Union Home Minister that previous NDA Government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee initiated Government jobs in belt forces for the youth of Jammu region.
He stated that the Village Defence Committees were constituted during the regime of previous NDA Government with a meager amount as their honorarium by giving full duties equal to general police constable. He demanded Rs 15,000 honorarium for VDC members.
Dr Jitendra Singh urged the Home Minister to provide employment opportunities to the unemployed youth of Jammu region especially to those living in border areas.
Satish Sharma in his speech assured that organization in J&K will definitely achieve +44 formula in the forthcoming Assembly election in the State.
Meanwhile, Dr Jitendra Singh held a meeting with the Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Ashok Gajapathi Raju Pusapati and sought his personal intervention for expediting the work of upgradation and expansion of Jammu Airport.
Dr. Jitendra Singh also handed over a letter to Civil Aviation Minister pointing out that over 17 acres of land already stands acquired since 2013 for the purpose of expansion and upgradation of existing runway and terminal of the airport but inspite of this, the work on the project is yet to start. The earlier hitch regarding the allotment of alternative piece of land to Army is also said to have been overcome following the earmarking of the land for the purpose at Sunjhwan, he added
Drawing attention towards the heavy rush of pilgrims to Mata Vaishno Devi and an ever increasing number of passengers, Dr. Jitendra Singh said that over 15 flights land and take off from Jammu airport everyday and therefore, unless the task of expansion of airport is taken up on urgent basis, the airport premises will face the possibility of getting virtually choked due to overcrowding.
At the same time, Dr. Jitendra Singh also personally requested the Civil Aviation Minister to work out the feasibility of night landing at Jammu Airport and early morning outgoing flights from Jammu. He said, with an increase in the number of travellers flying up and down on the same day, the timing of the flights ought to be rescheduled so that there is a provision to reach Delhi and other destinations early morning and fly back same evening after accomplishing day’s task. There should also be a potential provision for introducing international flights in near future, he suggested.
Dr. Jitendra Singh also emphasized the importance of raising the standards of ambience, arrival launch and parking facility to match the standards followed in some of the other airports of the country and said, if required the Government could think of outsourcing this task to appropriate concerns.
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