The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved the proposal for the Phase I development of a new greenfield airport in Dholera, Gujarat, at an estimated cost of Rs 1,305 crore. Construction of the airport will be completed within 48 months.

The airport will also act as a second airport to Ahmedabad. Notably, the move comes ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for this year in Gujarat.

The project is being implemented by Dholera International Airport Company Limited (DIACL), a joint venture (JV) with the Government of Gujarat (GoG), the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust (NICDIT). ) owning shares in the proportion of the New Greenfield Airport in Dholera is located at an air distance of 80 km from Ahmedabad Airport.

The airport is slated to become operational from the year 2025-26, and the initial passenger traffic is estimated at 3 lakh passengers per year, expected to grow to 23 lakh over 20 years. The annual freight throughput is also estimated from the year 2025-26 at 20,000 tons, which would increase to 2.73,000 tons over 20 years.

The union cabinet also discussed the inked contract between member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on youth work cooperation.

After the approval of the contract by the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on youth work cooperation, the contract was signed by the Government of the Republic of India, Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports. The authorized working language of the SCO Secretariat is Chinese and Russian.

The areas of cooperation further include training of youth work professionals; reference material and methodological material, public youth organization, exchange of scientific, work experience of government agencies, other organizations and associations involved in the implementation of the state youth policy and assistance to youth initiatives; exchange of scientific publications, research on current problems to prevent the involvement of young people in destructive structures; conducting joint research and activities on various youth policy issues and youth cooperation; promote joint economic and humanitarian initiatives to involve young people in entrepreneurship and innovative projects to increase their employment and well-being; supporting the activities of the SCO Youth Council.