'Equitable eco growth must for achieving India Vision'

Bangalore, July 15: Highlighting the need for an equitable economic growth, low cost airliner Air Deccan Managing Director G R Gopinath today called for providing aviation connection to rural areas to ensure spread of industries.

Delivering the V N Gadgil Memorial Lecture at Aeronautical Society of India here he said subsidy alone could not attract industries to go to rural areas. Air link would help foster growth and ensure an equitable growth to attain vision 2020 enunciated by President A P J Abdul Kalam.

Capt Gopinath said ''selfconfidence is growing in rural areas as new India is emerging. The country should take full advantage of new technology to achieve its vision otherwise it may become difficult to meet the challenges posed due to globalisation''.

Stating that there were 450 airfields in the country and a small city like Bellary had three airfields, he said, ''Infrastructure for aviation development is already there but it is not developed and kept it only for higher class (of people)'' he added.

He said there was an urgent need for building a strong infrastructure. ''Sense of urgency is lacking. Mumbai and Delhi Airports are choked not for aircraft, but due to lack of infrastructure.'' Capt Gopinath said that country has rich cultural heritage and aviation could also be utilised to attract tourists. ''We need to act immediately to utilise the rich cultural heritage'', he added.

Taking strong exception to priority accorded to building international airports in the country, Capt Gopinath said that ''we have to harness domestic market''.

Urging the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to relax conditions for issuing license to pilots, Capt Gopinath said that due to stringent rules enough pilots could not be found in the country and in Air Deccan of the total 400 Pilots, 150 are foreign pilots.

Besides, the Aviation industry is facing a shortage of qualified hands as there are no Aviation Engineers. ''Rules and regulations needs to be completely changed by the DGCA'', he added.

He said that in India, altogether, there are only 190 aircraft.

China already has 1000 and by 2019 the number of aircraft may be doubled.

UNI