The Hindu Business Line : Air connectivity, key to infrastructure growth: Patel

Ahmedabad, Nov 23 Investments to the tune of $150 billion are expected in the domestic aviation sector in the next 10 years, which would transform it into a sunrise sector such as information technology and telecommunication, according to the Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Mr Praful Patel, here.

He emphasised that the Government need not look for funds for infrastructure development.

It should not be a regulator but act merely as a good facilitator to attract investments to create infrastructure which would give a fillip to economy.

Creating infrastructure is the most important key to progress.

Confluence 2007

Inaugurating “Confluence 2007,” an international management summit at the Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad (IIMA), he said while the US has around 5,500 operating airports, India has only 81, which are expected to increase to 108 in the next couple of years.

Stressing that India should have at least 500 airports in the next few years, he said air connectivity was the key to infrastructure development, businesses, tourism and national integration. “Nobody should need to travel beyond 50 km to board an aircraft.”

The theme of the four-day Confluence this year is “India towards economic leadership” in which about 1,200 participants from across the globe, including nine from Pakistan, are participating.

Air travel

In 2001, the country had only 135 aircrafts, including those owned by Air India, which together catered to only 0.75 per cent of the population.

With the profile of civil aviation having undergone a complete change now, air travel is no longer an elitist mode of travel but a growth engine and means of dispersing the gains of our economy across India, the Minister pointed out.

He also favoured establishment of a national ‘mandi’ for agriculture and horticulture produce, a national cargo hub, and making Nagpur the preferred place for these.

India needs to revolutionise agriculture as well because on this sector depends the livelihood of 70 per cent of our population although it contributes 20 per cent to the GDP.

Similarly, we need to encourage the manufacturing sector to the maximum after its negligence for 15 years of reforms, and make production as important as service sector.

Stressing the urgent need for an “introspection” in oil sector in general and long-term energy resources security in particular to make India an economic powerhouse, he expressed surprise that a national interest issue such as the Indo-US nuclear deal came under fire in Parliament and outside.

“We have always had a broad national and political consensus on India’s relations with other countries. But this issue became a divisive one and almost derailed our plans.

Luckily, it is back on rails.

It would have had wide-ranging and crucial ramifications on our future. And we should recognise its importance,” he remarked.

On tourism

Mr Patel regretted that a country of India’s size attracted only four million tourists annually because of lack of key infrastructure facilities such as airports and aviation.

Even city states like Dubai and Singapore attracted far more tourists of various classes because of excellent and affordable infrastructure.

They, in fact, survived mainly on visitor-based economy and marketing strategies.

Regretting that urban planning in India is in a “total chaos’ — Mumbai is now one of the most unliveable places” — he said, while creating infrastructure, India should focus on the future rather than the current needs or making up for shortfalls.

“We need to generate more power than the 1,00,000 MW of shortfall.”

Similarly, other sectors of infrastructure, such as roads and ports, should also be developed with an eye on future.

Mr N.K. Singh, former Union Revenue Secretary and Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission, Bihar, and Mr S. Ramadorai, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) also spoke on the occasion.