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PM Lays Foundation Stone for New Airport Terminal at Thiruvananthpuram

New Delhi, November 01, 2006

The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, has laid the foundation stone for the new Airport Terminal at Thiruvananthapuram today.

Delighted over his first engagement associated with improving Kerala's global connectivity he expressed his happiness saying the Thiruvananthapuram Airport is one of the first non-metro international airports in the country. This new airport testifies to Kerala's global links. But these links go back deep into history. The Kerala coast received sea-farers, explorers and traders for centuries. They came from the Arab world, Europe, China and other distant lands. Kerala is the symbol of India's openness.

The outward orientation of the people of Kerala has had an enormously positive impact on the quality of life across the country. The Malayali people have contributed a great deal to the intellectual, economic, social and cultural development of India. There is something more that Kerala's globalisation has done for the country. The inward remittances coming from its bread winners abroad have helped stabilize the balance of payments of the country tremendously. The skills and capabilities of the people of Kerala have kept the economy buoyant and on an even keel.

Kerala's improved connectivity is encouraging tourism into the state. "God's Own Country" has become a magnet for seekers of peace, relaxation and rejuvenation.

Air India is developing a maintenance base here at an estimated cost of Rs 50 crores. This will generate new employment opportunities for the people of the state.

In the past 50 years Kerala has been a highly impressive symbol of human development, investing in education and health care. Kerala has many lessons for the rest of the country and many parts of the world. However, Kerala has lagged behind its neighbours in the development of modern industries and the knowledge economy.

Complimenting the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the Minister Praful Patel and the Airports Authority of India for the excellent work they have been doing in developing the civil aviation sector in the country, PM said, if we need more trade and travel, if we need our people to go to far out lands and if we want visitors from all corners of the world to come here, we need first rate infrastructure. The activity we see all around in the sector – be it the construction and modernization of airports or the establishment of new airlines – all point to the dynamism that has been unleashed in this vital sector.

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