Maharashtra to develop 10 airports as part of Central scheme

The Maharashtra cabinet today decided to develop 10 airports as part of the Centre's regional connectivity scheme, and a Memorandum of Understanding will be signed between the state, Civil Aviation Ministry and the Airports Authority of India tomorrow.
The cabinet decided to develop airports at Shirdi, Amravati, Gondia, Nashik, Jalgaon, Nanded, Solapur, Kolhapur, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg in the first phase, an official from the General Administration Department said.
Under the national policy on civil aviation, the Centre will provide funds and also assist the state governments in developing essential infrastructure for the airports.
The Centre will bear 80 per cent of Viability Gap Funding (VGF).

According to the official, the state government will reduce the Local Body Tax (LBT) on air fuel from the existing 10 per cent to 1 per cent for a period of 10 years.
The MoU draft states that the state government will provide essential land free of cost.
These airports will be provided with roads, rail, Metro and waterway connectivity. The state government will also provide electricity, water and necessary facilities at concessional rates, the MoU says.