In an effort to improve the state’s helicopter industry, the government will provide a subsidy to helicopter companies. The Aviation Ministry organised the country's first helicopter summit in Uttarakhand's Dehradun on Saturday, September 7, where issues related to "enhancing connectivity through helicopters" were discussed, the Indian Air Force (IAF) said, on Sunday. 

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"First ever helicopter summit was organised by Ministry of Civilian Aviation at Dehradun"

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Helicopter services at places identified under the UDAN scheme will get an additional subsidy

Aviation firms offering helicopter services at places identified under the UDAN scheme will get an additional subsidy from the Uttarakhand government, CM Rawat said on Saturday. Announcing the incentive at the country's first Helicopter Summit, Rawat said, Uttarakhand has great potential for expansion of helicopter services."Companies which offer helicopter services in areas identified under the UDAN Yojana will get a subsidy from the state government in addition to the subsidy given by the Centre," he said.

The first-of-its-kind summit based on the theme of expanding connectivity through helicopters was organised here jointly by the Civil Aviation Ministry, the state government and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FICCI). Considering the geographical situation of Uttarakhand, helicopter services are very important for the state as it may take up to 20 hours to reach the border areas, Rawat said. Noting that the border areas of Uttarakhand were endowed with great scenic beauty, he said these services will also make it easier for filmmakers to shoot their films in picturesque locations of the state, which has emerged as one of the country's finest film shooting destinations in recent years.

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Water drome being developed to run seaplanes

Citing an instance, Rawat said filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt was planning to shoot a film in Romania, when the CM, who was in Mumbai to invite investors to a summit in Dehradun, extended an invitation to him to try some locations in Uttarakhand.
Bhatt visited the border areas of the state at his invitation and was highly impressed by what he saw. Usha Padhee, the joint secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, said boosting helicopter connectivity in the hill areas was the ministry's commitment.
She said a water drome is being developed over Tehri lake to run seaplanes there.

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(Inputs from PTI)