U T Khader hits out at Centre over unilateral decision to privatise Mangaluru Airport

Mangaluru, Dec 1: Urban Development and Housing Minister U.T. Khader, who is also the in-charge Minister for Dakshina Kannada, on Friday opposed the move of the Union government to privatise Mangaluru International Airport through public-private partnership model.

Mr. Khader was commenting on the decision of the Union government on November 8 to modernise Mangaluru and five other airports in the country under PPP model.

Mr. Khader told reporters here that the Centre unilaterally announced the decision without taking the opinion of the State government. Claiming that the move will badly hit airport employees and taxi operators, Mr. Khader said the Centre is going for privatisation when Mangaluru airport is doing well under the Airport Authority of India.

Mr. Khader said he has discussed the issue with the Revenue Minister R.V. Deshpande and will shortly raise it during the Cabinet meeting. “We will take a special stand on this move,” he said and added that he will ask Nalin Kumar Kateel, MP, to raise the issue in Parliament.

The Minister said Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy will shortly launch the programme to build houses for 840 people who have lost their property following heavy rain in Kodagu in August. Each person will get a new house at a cost of Rs. 9.45 lakh. A proposal has been sent to the Centre seeking funds for permanent restoration of Sampaje Ghat connecting Sampaje and Madikeri, which was ravaged following heavy rain.