- Why is the Central Government Merging Biju Patnaik International Airport with Loss Making Airports ?
- Immediately Withdraw the Order Issued by the Central Government
Bhubaneswar, 24/08/2026:The BJP Government has made an attempt to privatise the BijuPatnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar by leasing it out to a private entity. Strongly criticising the BJP Government over the issue at a press conference organised by the BijuJanata Dal (BJD) at SankhaBhawan, former Minister and MLA Captain Dibya Shankar Mishra came down heavily on the BJP Government.
Captain Mishra said that the BJP-led Central Government has approved the leasing of BijuPatnaik International Airport to a private entity. The BJP Government has approved a proposal to club BijuPatnaik International Airport with Hubballi Airport in Karnataka and hand them over to a private entity under the PPP mode. It is highly condemnable that this important airport of Odisha, named after legendary leader BijuPatnaik, is being handed over to a private entity.
Normally, government institutions that are not generating profits are considered for leasing to private entities. However, BijuPatnaik International Airport is one of the profitable airports in India. BijuPatnaik International Airport is estimated to be worth between Rs. 5,000 crore and Rs. 7,000 crore. Around 50 lakh people travel through this airport every year. In 2022-23, the Central Government earned a profit of Rs. 238 crore from this airport. Going forward, it is expected to generate profits of more than Rs. 500 crore. Former Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik has made significant contributions towards the development and expansion of the airport. However, the people of Odisha will not accept the decision to hand over the airport to a private entity on a 50-year lease.
There is a need to take steps for the further development of BijuPatnaik International Airport and construct additional terminals. If the Central Government invests funds in the development of the airport, it will generate even greater profits. Instead of doing so, the Government has decided to lease out the airport by handing over its management and operations to a private entity. Why, then, is the BJP Government attempting to privatise the airport, and in whose interest is this being done ? The BJP-led Central Government should immediately withdraw this order. Otherwise, in the coming days, the BijuJanata Dal will launch a strong agitation in the interest of the people of Odisha.
