Soaring Ambitions: Odisha Government Charts New Flight Path In Aviation
CM Majhi unveils pilot training for tribal girls, new airports, and MRO hub to strengthen connectivity
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Majhi on Monday announced a slew of measures to transform the state’s aviation sector, unveiling new infrastructure, training opportunities, and connectivity projects at the Eastern Region Ministers’ Conference on Civil Aviation in Bhubaneswar.
Under the state’s flagship initiative B-MAAN (Building and Management of Aviation Assets and Network), the government will soon launch a ‘Cadet Pilot Program’ to provide specialised training to tribal girls aspiring to become pilots.
In a major boost to infrastructure, the state signed an agreement with Air Works, a leading MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) service provider, to establish a state-of-the-art MRO facility at Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar. The Chief Minister said the facility would not only modernise aviation infrastructure but also create opportunities for skill development, training, and jobs for Odisha’s youth.
Majhi also announced that work is underway for a world-class international airport in Puri, envisioned as a spiritual and cultural gateway for millions of Jagannath devotees worldwide, while land has been secured for the expansion of Jharsuguda Airport.
Highlighting rapid progress, he noted that in the past 14 months alone, Odisha has been connected with 15 new destinations. To sustain this momentum, a world-class aviation training centre will be set up at Birasal in Dhenkanal district, and a Progressive Land Allotment Policy for airports will soon be introduced to promote flying schools, UAV training, and aero-sports.
Unused airstrips are also being upgraded into operational airports, with plans to develop 14 airports and 15 heliports across districts without air connectivity.
Majhi praised the UDAN scheme for democratising aviation and said the sector plays a vital role in realising the vision of a ‘Viksit Bharat by 2047.’
Union civil aviation minister Rammohan Naidu Kinjarapu, reaffirming the Centre’s commitment, said the government is determined to make flying accessible even for those “wearing hawai chappals” and pledged full support to Odisha’s aviation growth.
Odisha’s commerce and transport minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena presented details about the state’s progress in building aviation infrastructure since the new government came to power in June 2024.
