Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Mar 31 : Addressing a press conference here today, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh announced the decision of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to collaborate with Airports Authority of India (AAI) and soon sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with it, in order to offer assistance in construction of airports, delineation of air strips and determining the extent of land to be left unused around the site of construction.
In an another reference, Dr. Jitendra Singh disclosed that the Ministry of Civil Aviation has responded positively to his suggestion and, beginning from 8th April, there will be a morning flight of Air India operating from Delhi to Jammu at 7.45 AM and the same aircraft will take off from Jammu to Delhi around 9.30 AM thus providing the facility of a direct morning flight to the people of Jammu. In the beginning, he said, the above flight will operate for 3 days in a week, but later, depending upon the passenger response, it may be made operational on daily basis. In addition, he said, Aviation Ministry is also working out the feasibility of an evening flight from Delhi to Jammu and a late evening flight from Jammu to Delhi.
Giving elaborate details of the achievements of Department of Space during the last two years, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, ISRO, which was earlier in news only when there was a rocket launching from Sriharikota, is now visible virtually in every Department and Ministry in the Government. This, he said, has been possible because of the personal interest and encouragement provided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to individual scientists as well as scientific programmes.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said, ISRO is already involved with the Ministry of Urban Development in carrying forward the Government’s ambitious programme of “Smart Cities”. It has also concluded an MoU with the Ministry of Railways for rail network expansion, he said.
Following its latest decision to engage with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, ISRO has taken up two airports, Begumpet, Hydrabad and Port Blair, as pilot projects and following the experience gained from this exercise, 42 airports across the country will be taken up in the first phase for construction and development through satellite imaging technology, he added.
In the coming months, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, ISRO is all set to engage with the Postal Department for an accurate scientific location about the movement and timing of every postal parcel. Similarly, he said, the “Soil Health Card” initiative taken up by the Government for the benefit of farmers will also provide scientific inputs regarding nature of soil etc. through space technology.
Chairman, ISRO, Kiran Kumar and other senior scientists were also present at the press meet.
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