CHANDIGARH, Dec. 20 -- Declaring that the era of aviation being a playground only for the wealthy is over, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Saturday outlined an ambitious roadmap to position Punjab as a major hub of the aviation industry in the coming years. Interacting with aircraft engineers and trainees at the Patiala Flying Club, Mann said the Punjab government is building a robust aviation ecosystem by providing quality, affordable and world-class training aligned with industry needs, enabling children of farmers, shopkeepers and teachers to pursue careers once considered out of reach. He emphasised that his government's focus is to create job givers rather than job seekers and said the upcoming Aviation Museum at Patiala will not only preserve India's flying heritage but also inspire a new generation to aim higher. Mann held a dialogue session with 32 trainee pilots and 72 students from Patiala Aircraft Maintenance Engineering College, noting that most trainee pilots are first-generation entrants into the aviation sector. While private institutes charge Rs 40-45 lakh to become a commercial pilot, the Patiala Flying Club provides about a 50 per cent subsidy, reducing fees to Rs 22-25 lakh.
He said that with this reduction of nearly Rs 20 lakh, students from ordinary households-including shopkeepers, teachers, farmers and clerks-can now dream of becoming pilots. Mann added that an Aviation Museum is being established at the Patiala Aviation Complex at a cost of Rs 7 crore, which will showcase MiG aircraft, second-generation helicopters, simulators, and aviation heritage, providing valuable knowledge to students and the public and inspiring the next generation of aviation professionals.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.