Soren lays foundation stone of pilot training academy

Dumka, Nov 10 (UNI) Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren today laid the foundation stone of the country's second government-owned pilot training academy at the airport here which would produce about 180 pilots every year.

The ''Sona Sobran Rashtriya Udaan Academy'', named after Mr Soren's mother Sona and father Sobran, would become the country's largest institution in pilot training where nearly 120 foreign candidates would also be trained every year.

Addressing a gathering on this occasion, Mr Soren said till date there was only one government-owned pilot training institute located at Rai Bareli.

Mr Soren said 30 seats would be reserved for candidates of Scheduled Castes and Schedluded Tribes, including people from primitive tribes, and the remaining 30 seats would be filled by general candidates.

Mr Soren said the academy would be completed in five years at a cost of Rs 500 crore.

Criticising the erstwhile government, Mr Soren said the city, despite being the second capital of the state, lacked basic amenities.

''Previous governments only indulged in vote bank politics and no one bothered about the people of Dumka and their sentiments but I believe in delivering goods and will try my best to get this city status of second capital,'' Mr Soren said.

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