The Bihar Cabinet has approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the State Government and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to develop six new airports under the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) regional air connectivity scheme.
Bihar Government Approves Development of Six Airports
Under the new agreement, the following six locations will get small airports:
Madhubani
Birpur (Supaul)
Munger
Valmikinagar (West Champaran)
Muzaffarpur
Saharsa
Additional Chief Secretary S. Siddharth said that this move will help develop the necessary airport infrastructure at these sites.
The Cabinet has also approved an initial budget of ₹25 crore for each of the six airports.
Bihar Reduces Aviation Fuel Tax to Boost Connectivity
Earlier this month, the Bihar Cabinet reduced the Value Added Tax (VAT) on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) from 29% to just 4%.
This tax cut is aimed at:
Increasing flight frequency in the state
Encouraging aircraft refueling at Patna airport
Improving air connectivity and making Bihar more competitive compared to neighboring states
Major Infrastructure Inaugurations by PM Modi
Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the ₹1,200 crore new terminal at Patna airport.
This terminal is expected to:
Handle 1 crore passengers annually
Boost tourism and economic growth in the state
Additionally, the PM also laid the foundation stone for a civil enclave worth ₹1,410 crore at Bihta Airport.
Other Cabinet Decisions
The Cabinet also approved the extension of services for 1,717 Special Auxiliary Police (SAP) officers for the 2025–2026 financial year.
These SAP officers are former Indian Army soldiers.
New Vande Bharat Train Between Lucknow and Bihar
To make holiday travel easier, the Indian Railways has announced several special trains.
Among them:
Train No. 02270 – Lucknow to Chhapra Vande Bharat Special
Train No. 02269 – Chhapra to Lucknow Vande Bharat Special.
