Air services to be linked to Agriculture - Prafulla Patel

Bhubaneswar, Sep 24 (UNI) Minister for Civil Aviation Prafulla Patel today said the airline services would be linked to Agriculture to help farmers get a better deal for their produce.

Mr Patel, who was here to participate in a function organised for the merger of the Orissa unit of the Janata Dal (S) and the regional political outfit Orissa Gana Parishad (OGP) with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), said the farmers could avail the services of airlines to sell their products at other places and even abroad to get a better price for their products.

The Union Minister said the competition among various airlines would lead to further slash in the air fare, adding the airlines now would be affordable for the middle class people instead of remaining confined to the rich only.

Mr Patel said the Biju Patnaik Airport at Bhubaneswar would be soon upgraded into an international airport to connect with other international destinations.

Orissa, he said, would also soon have another second airport at Jharsuguda.

UNI