Cabinet nod to IndiGo bid for 3 int’l flights

The state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday approved the financial bid of Indigo for the operation of direct flights from Bhubaneswar to Dubai, Singapore and Bangkok. This move is likely to see the start of international flight connectivity from Bhubaneswar in the next one and a half months. Naveen had promised a direct flight between Bhubaneswar and Dubai during a make in Odisha road show in the UAE in June. Indigo's financial bid has been approved by the cabinet and Indigo will operate a 186-seat flight on the three international routes from Bhubaneswar in one or one and a half months. The state government will bear the operational cost of the flight operations. The revenue generated through ticketing will be retained by the state government. Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra said according to the government, it has already reduced the value added tax (VAT) on aviation turbine fuel atf to 0 for direct international flights. Sources said Dubai, Singapore and Bangkok may have three flights a week, preferably on alternate days including on the weekends. The direct international flights would give wings to tourism industry and other sectors in the state. There is a potential of unlocking not only the tourism sector but also industrial including the