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For the first time in India’s civil aviation history, a serious attempt has been made by the government to present a comprehensive ‘National Civil Aviation Policy 2016’, after a detailed study of the country’s civil aviation industry and global practices for almost two years. The key focus of the policy, according to the government, is to make regional air connectivity a viable reality despite the fact that the country’s brand new airport at Andal near the Durgapur-Asansol industrial hub in West Bengal is lying idle for want of a regular airline operator. Civil Aviation Minister P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju said ‘the policy aims to take flying to the masses’ by making air travel affordable and convenient. The policy seeks to establish a combined eco-system that is meant to ensure a significant and lasting growth of the sector and enhance ease of doing business through deregulation, simplified procedures and e-governance. The steps listed to make the policy successful are largely practical as also laudable.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government must avoid slipping into the habit of taking hasty decisions only to change them under pressure later.

G -7 summit held in Japan in May this year, delivered a warning over maritime tension in South China Sea, without taking China’s name. Japan used the summit to hype the tension. Interestingly, none of the G-7 member nations is claimant of the water.

Next year—2017—will see most important assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. UP poll has always been significant as it has bearing on Delhi’s politics. It is said the party which rules UP influences centre’s power equations. The next year’s election in most populous state of the union will see a tussle for power between Mulayam Singh’s Samajwadi Party and Mayawati’s BSP. It is premature to make a poll forecast but, according to reports, Mayawati has better chances because of poor governance by SP.

KOLKATA: In West Bengal, a steady exodus among members and supporters of other parties to the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) has been a fairly common phenomenon in recent years. The one way traffic has hit the Left parties as well, although desertions from the CPI(M) except for a few leaders, have not been widespread.

The political outlook in the country in the third year of the Modi Government does not look at all bright for the BJP though the saffron Party is still having euphoria about their prospects in the coming period keeping the vision of making Bharat Congress-mukta. The just concluded local bodies’ elections in Madhya Pradesh saw total rout of the BJP at the hands of the Congress despite all the efforts of the chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. This is a big setback for the BJP since MP is the state on which BJP is depending heavily for 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

BHOPAL: Defeat of the BJP in elections to three local bodies has given opportunity to dissidents in the ruling party to launch attack on the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Party Chief Nand Kumar Chouhan.

The Congress is playing a ‘bahu-beti‘ game in the poll bound Uttar Pradesh. Will this click when the electorate is tired of dynastic politics and looking for new faces? Only time will tell but certainly it may not harm the party. If any, it is likely to bring some dividends.

LUCKNOW: Impressive road show and unprecedented welcome of newly appointed UPCC President Raj Babbar and CM face Mrs Sheila Dikshit in the state capital on July 17 has boosted the morale of Congress leaders and workers.

China is hosting the G-20 Summit at Hangzhou on September 4 and 5, 2016 amidst widespread opposition by the G-20 members against its stand on the recent verdict by the UN Permanent Court of Arbitration nullifying China’s “nine dash line” territorial claim over much of the South China Sea. This is a very embarrassing position for China as the Chinese President is expected to focus on the theme of the G-20 summit “ Building An Innovative, Invigorated, Interconnected and Inclusive World Economy” but the wide differences between China and the majority of the G-20 members will be apparent at the Summit since the issue is of international importance and some Asian members, especially Philippines, will surely raise the issue unless a prior understanding is reached before the summit to avoid the issue.