To draw more tourists, Goa unveils Rs 2 crore incentive scheme for airlines; offers Rs 2L for new flight routes, cuts fuel VAT

PORVORIM: An airline incentive scheme with a yearly provision of Rs 2 crore for carriers that introduce new routes and new flights to the state has been finalised, CM Pramod Sawant said. “Each new flight to Goa will receive an incentive of Rs 2 lakh. If an airline brings in five flights, it will receive Rs 10 lakh,” the CM told assembly on Friday during a private member’s resolution by Siolim MLA Delilah Lobo on enhancing domestic and international air connectivity to Goa.Sawant also said airlines are being charged a lower rate of 15% for fuel instead of 18%, with Goa govt bearing the VAT. “This airline incentive is a big incentive for a small state like Goa. Goa govt is serious about this issue. To enhance tourism, Goa definitely needs both the airports,” he said.With Goa’s cruise terminal at Mormugao expected to be operational later this year, people will automatically book tickets from Dabolim, the CM said.Between March 2024 and Dec 2024, Goa received a total of 1,970 flights, with 46,174 passengers arriving in the state and 46,525 departures at both its airports.Sawant reiterated that the airport at Dabolim will not shut. He said new domestic and international routes to Uzbekistan, Poland, Russia and the UK had already started. He added that Fly91, which operates from Goa, has 72 flights from the airport at Mopa. Sawant said that under the Centre's UDAN scheme, three more routes will be started soon.After the CM’s assurance, Lobo withdrew her resolution.Leader of opposition Yuri Alemao opposed the resolution, saying the House has no power to decide on airline connectivity and that airlines choose their airports on a commercial basis.He blamed govt for choking Dabolim airport and systematically weakening it on one hand, while discussing enhanced connectivity in the House on the other hand. Alemao asked whether the structures in the funnel zone of the airport at Dabolim were intentionally built with the intention of making the airport unsafe and then unviable.