Gujarat State Inter City Air Connectivity - Fuel to be cheaper for flights

To give civil aviation a major boost in Gujarat, the state government has brought down the Value Added Tax (VAT) on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) substantially from 30% to 4%.

However, this relief on VAT on ATF will apply only to the operators who will run flights within the state and also to non-scheduled operators.

The reduction in VAT will mean people will get to fly within the state by paying low airfares.

It was a policy decision by the state government. This will give a boost to civil aviation in the state. Now, more airlines can plan their flights between major cities of the state.

At present, there are a very few flights connecting these cities. As the state government has reduced the VAT on ATF from 30% to 4%, it will bring down the cost of operation for the small carriers as fuel cost is the major expense for the airlines.

However, this reduction in the tax will be applicable only to those flights operating within the state.

Now, flights between cities like Ahmedabad City, Bhuj City, Bhavnagar City, Jamnagar City, Rajkot City, Vadodara City and Surat City are not available. But with this move, it will be feasible for the airline companies to operate small flights between these cities in the state.

The airfare for such intra-state flights is likely to be around Rs 3,000, which is almost same as private taxi fare between these cities.

The official said that the government was taking such initiatives to develop Ahmedabad and Surat as major aviation hubs, where the airlines would be attracted because of reduction in VAT on ATF.

He claimed that Gujarat States was the first state in the country to slash the VAT rate on ATF.

While a private company has already decided to start flights between major cities of the state, officials of another airline will soon meet state government officials to chalk out the details.

Gujarat State Inter City Air Connectivity - Deccan Charters Flights Launch to be delayed

The Deccan Charters Limited is likely to delay the operational launch of the intra-state commercial air services from Surat and Ahmedabad following the non-clearance of the aircraft by the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

Earlier, the flag off ceremony of the inaugural flight by Chief Minister Narendra Modi on April 29 was put off pending aircraft clearance, but chairman of Deccan Charters Limited, Captain GR Gopinath had announced there would be no delay in the operational launch of the intra-state air services connecting important cities in Gujarat from May 7.

Official sources said the DGCA and the Union ministry of civil aviation are busy tackling the Air India pilots' strike.

However, the clearance of the aircraft is pending without which the company is unable to begin the commercial air services from May 7.

Jamnagar Rajkot Students will attend Duke University in United States this year

90 students from the across the India have been selected to attend a semester at Duke University in US this year. Out of 90 pupils 15 are from Gujarat State Schools from various cities like Ahmedabad City, Rajkot City and Jamnagar City.

They will now participate in a 21 day initiation workshop at Infosys' Mysore campus from May 15.

Now want to tell in detail about this event,

This Talent Identification Programme identifies and nurtures students' natural talent, is a 30-year-old programme that came to India a couple of years ago.

Initially offered only to selected schools across the country, this year the competition was open to all; more than 1 lakh students participated. After rigorous selection process, 90 of them made the cut.

City based Educational Initiatives (EI) has joined hands with Duke University for the purpose as EI conducted ASSET scores will be valid for the selection process. The test is undertaken biannually to determine conceptual clarity and overall understanding.

"This year, around 90 students will attend this workshop. And those participating don't belong to just metros like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Ahmedabad, but also from smaller towns like Rajkot, Jamnagar , Nasik, Guwahati, Ajmer, Bernala, Dehradun, Siliguri and Mysore," said an EI official.

Students are offered topics such as environmental engineering, entrepreneurial leadership, Java for video games and forensic science.