‘It’s beginning of reforms, not the end’

• Why is it so that in civil aviation, there’s no development in Bihar, your home state? Why is the airfare to Patna the highest a...

• Why is it so that in civil aviation, there’s no development in Bihar, your home state? Why is the airfare to Patna the highest as compared to other destination of similar distances?

Locations to/from the country where domestic operators wish to operate is entirely based on the commercial judgment of the airlines. Government does not dictate to the airlines to fly to a particular destination. We have a Route Dispersal Guidelines to facilitate connectivity to North-East and some other remote areas. As far as the number of flights to Patna is concerned I would like to state here that it is the economy of the State and demand for air traffic which decide the number of flights. With almost no industrial activity and a persisting negative economy growth, there is hardly any potential to flights to Patna. Moreover, the State Government is not permitting the extension of runway. However, Patna stands very well connected to Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai, Ranchi and Guwahati which is sufficient to meet the existing demands.

• Do you at least admit the fact that aviation reforms are moving at the pace of a bullock cart in India? Your good intentions aside, there seems to be powerful vested interests at work thwarting every radical step. Of late you also look resigned to the fact that polls are near, and worst of all, Laloo Prasad Yadav is going to take you on your home seat Chapra. Are you sure of a win in Chapra this time, so that you can get back to the new Cabinet and take off the reforms process?

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As far as polls are concerned I don’t bother about who is contesting against me. I have done my preparations and I have fulfilled my commitment to Chapra by not only looking after the development projects but also by playing a positive leadership in the so-called Laloo’s Bihar. I would like to place on record that this is my third contest to Parliament. I have won twice, and before every election Laloo says that he is contesting from Chapra. Every time he has backed out. As far as I know him he would prefer to back out again. It is for him to decide whether to contest or not.

As far as civil aviation reforms are concerned I never claimed that I have a magic wand to change things overnight. In last six months in my tenure as Civil Aviation Minister, I can only say that whatever policy initiative which was possible during the period, which was taken by the Government, has raised partly the possibility of unlashing the unbound capacities of the civil aviation sector which will unfurl itself in due course. The blueprint has been prepared and a milestone has been fixed and I am sure the success would find it easy to follow its path and direction to achieve the rest. I would like to state very clearly it was the beginning of the process of reforms and not the end of it.

• When can we hope to see airfare between Metro cities lower than 2nd AC train fare? To have minimum possible airfare, can the government promote something like Antonov aircraft fitted with public transport type bus seats?

Efforts have been made to economise air cost which does not relate to the type of the aircrafts used. It is based on several other related factors. The Government has been persistently taking steps in this regards and the Government is committed to make aviation available for a common man. The process has been set after massive deduction in fuel turbine, fuel taxes and elimination/abolition of IATA taxes. The recent reduction in airport charges is also a step in this regard.