The West Bengal government on Monday has announced plans to develop a greenfield airport in Kalyani to ease the passenger congestion at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata. The proposed project will be spread across 1,000 acres. Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta said that suitable land for the airport will be identified in due course.
Dasgupta said that new airports will be developed in Purulia, Balurghat and Malda under the state's UDAAN scheme. He also proposed an allocation of Rs 10 crore in the current financial year for the expansion of the existing Cooch Behar airport. Explaining the decision, the Finance Minister said the focus is on making air travel more accessible and affordable for ordinary citizens.
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The BJP government in West Bengal presented its maiden budget where FM Dasgupta said his government has inherited a debt burden of Rs 8.15 lakh crore from the previous administration, asserting that restoring fiscal discipline and public confidence in governance would be among his priorities.
Before presenting the budget, Dasgupta and Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari participated in a brief prayer ceremony in the assembly premises. "We have prepared this budget drawing inspiration from awakened national strength," Dasgupta said.
The budget also proposed an elevated corridor between Chingrighata and New Town in Kolkata, a deep-sea port at Dadanpatrabar, a four-lane bridge over the Mayurakshi river in Birbhum and a study for metro rail projects in Durgapur, Asansol and Siliguri.
Dasgupta said the government's vision was aligned with the national goal of 'Viksit Bharat'.
(with PTI inputs)
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