Bhubaneswar: The Odisha chief minister, Naveen Patnaik, urged the Chief Executive Officers(CEOs) of different airlines to enhance air connectivity to the State.
Patnaik, while addressing a meeting of CEOs, here on Wednesday, cited the growth story of Odisha, presence of techno-savvy diaspora in different countries, the emergence of globe-trotting middle class, growth of tourism and rapid growth in various sectoral economies, and asked the Centre and the airline operators to introduce new flights for both domestic and international destinations.
The chief minister while welcoming the delegates which includes CEOs of airlines, union civil aviation ministers and other executives related to civil aviation sector, said Odisha has witnessed rapid growth over the years and made its foothold strong in many areas including mining, manufacturing, tourism, culture, sports, education and IT. In last few years, the aviation traffic in Odisha has seen immense growth. Though the domestic flight connectivity has seen a noticeable improvement, there is greater scope for international connectivity, he asserted.
” A sizeable techno-savvy Odia Diaspora is active mainly in the countries like United States of America, Europe, Australia and the South East Asian countries. Besides, a substantial population is also working in Middle-East countries. I strongly believe that our “Skilled in Odisha” module has strengthened Brand Odisha, making our professionals high in demand in many countries across the globe.”
Patnaik added: “The emergence of globetrotting middle-class has also resulted in rising overseas travel. Hence, introduction of more international flights from Bhubaneswar to the destinations like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, and Bangkok will provide convenience and comfort to the people of the State. The natural attractions for places of tourist interests”
