Policy to promote growth of civil aviation in Karnataka to be placed before next meeting of State Cabinet for clearance

M.B. Patil, Industries and Infrastructure Development Minister, Karnataka. File | Photo Credit: Allen Egenuse J.

Industries and Infrastructure Development Minister M.B. Patil on Tuesday (November 10, 2026) announced that a comprehensive policy to promote the growth of civil aviation in Karnataka will be placed before the next meeting of State Cabinet for its clearance.

The Minister told media persons here that the policy covers several aspects, including financial assistance, Viability Gap Funding (VGF) and efficient management of airports operated by the State Government. The policy could serve as a model for the entire country, he added.

Shivamogga flight service suspension

He said the suspension of flight services from Shivamogga Airport is due to shortcomings in the Union Government’s UDAN-2 policy. “The Centre handed over Mangaluru Airport to the Adani Group and is now moving towards privatising Hubballi Airport. The State spent ₹1,000 crore on developing the Kalaburagi Airport and handed it over to the Centre, but has not received even a single rupee in return. Shivamogga MP B. Y. Raghavendra, who has been criticising the State Government, should take note of these facts,” Mr. Patil said.

“We had suggested extending the UDAN scheme from three years to five years, followed by another five years of joint operation by the State and Union Governments, with both sharing the expenditure equally. This would have yielded better results. However, the Centre did not give due consideration to our proposal. Consequently, flight operations at 17 airports across the country have now been suspended,” he said.

“It is not appropriate for the State to invest thousands of crores of rupees in building airports only to hand them over to the Union Government. That is why we are managing the airports at Shivamogga, Raichur and Vijayapura ourselves. Flight services at the previously non-operational Kalaburagi Airport were restored with 80 per cent of the funding provided by the Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board (KKRDB) and the remaining 20 per cent by the State Government. If Raghavendra is capable, let him arrange similar funding for Shivamogga Airport,” Mr. Patil challenged.

Published - November 10, 2026 07:04 pm IST