By IANS
Kozhikode (Kerala) : Defence Minister A.K. Antony said Monday the central government will take immediate steps to start foreign airline services from Kozhikode International Airport.
There has been a series of agitations here against the poor services of Air India, which enjoys a monopoly from this airport. The airport, one of the busiest in the region, is used by a large number of people who work in the Gulf countries.
“There have been instances, where expatriate workers lost their jobs due to flight cancellations. This will not be repeated. We have even taken up the matter with the prime minister,” Antony told reporters here.
On the airport project in Kannur district, the minister said the defence ministry has no objection and it has already conveyed this to the civil aviation ministry.
Antony said the central government is taking steps to distribute the benefits of economic growth to all sections of people.
Taking a dig at the state’s Left Democratic Front (LDF) government led by the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), Antony said though the centre had launched a Rs.170 billion package to help the agriculture sector, the Kerala government is yet to avail of funds under the scheme.
Many state governments, including West Bengal, have already got the first instalment from this fund, he added.