PPP can create new avenues: Modi

MEHSAN: Public-private partnership can be used to good effect to create new opportunities and after rail-track and civil aviation, Gujarat is in the process to start ship-making in joint venture with the private sector, Chief Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday.

In his speech at the inauguration of the first privately-operated airport here in Gujarat, which will function as an air flight training centre of Ahmedabad Aviation and Aeronautics Ltd, he said "Gujarat was the first state where rail-track was laid through private partnership."

"Today we have entered the arena of civil aviation and air flight training in joint venture with the private sector and are in the process of doing the same in the field of ship-making and its maintenance."

The flight training centre, which has come up at an abandoned airport, has been developed by the Gujarat Government and AAA Ltd in an area spread over 64 acres and has cost Rs four crores. An agreement for this was signed by the two sides during `Vibrant Gujarat Investors Summit-2007'.

The centre will facilitate our youth to explore aviation-related career options, the Chief Minister said, adding, "We want them to become aeronautical engineers, pilots and airport administrators by making use of the advanced training that would be available here."

The proposal of one more air-strip near Shakti-pith Ambaji is under consideration of the state government. Similar air-strips can be formed in the Mehsana-Disa-Ambaji triangle, Modi said. Many positive developments are taking place in Gujarat, where elections are due later this year, but sadly they were going unnoticed, he added.

Mahendra Vyas, Chief Executive Officer, AAA Ltd, said some 400 commercial pilots and aircraft engineers have earned their licences from the DGCA (Director General of Civil Aviation) after their training at the AAA since the launch of the academy in Ahmedabad in the early 1990s.

The true benefits of this joint venture will be realised after the operations at Mehsana reaches its full swing in the next one month, he said. The AAA proposes to invest Rs 5,000 crore over a period of time at the centre which it wants to build as a servicing, maintenance and manufacturing hub for small aircraft, Vyas said.

AAA Managing Director Nagesh Bhandari said the development of the airfield (the length of airstrip is 3,250 feet) was possible because of the help provided by the Indian Air Force and the DGCA.