Maharashtra to develop 10 airports as part of Central scheme

Mumbai, Aug 22 (PTI) The Maharashtra cabinet todaydecided to develop 10 airports as part of the Centre’sregional connectivity scheme, and a Memorandum ofUnderstanding will be signed between the state, Civil AviationMinistry and the Airports Authority of India tomorrow. The cabinet decided to develop airports at Shirdi,Amravati, Gondia, Nashik, Jalgaon, Nanded, Solapur, Kolhapur,Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg in the first phase, an official fromthe General Administration Department said. Under the national policy on civil aviation, the Centrewill provide funds and also assist the state governments indeveloping essential infrastructure for the airports. The Centre will bear 80 per cent of Viability Gap Funding(VGF). According to the official, the state government willreduce the Local Body Tax (LBT) on air fuel from the existing10 per cent to 1 per cent for a period of 10 years. The MoU draft states that the state government willprovide essential land free of cost. These airports will be provided with roads, rail, Metroand waterway connectivity. The state government will alsoprovide electricity, water and necessary facilities atconcessional rates, the MoU says. PTI MM KRKKUNJMF