Tumakuru (K’taka): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s helicopter factory — the country’s largest chopper manufacturing facility — in Tumakuru district of Karnataka.
Bengaluru-headquartered HAL plans to produce more than 1,000 helicopters in the range of 3-15 tonne with a total business of more than Rs 4 lakh crore over a period of 20 years at this facility in Gubbi taluk, officials said.
The factory, spread across 615 acres for which the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone in 2016, would initially manufacture Light Utility Helicopters (LUH)).
It will enable India to meet its entire requirement of helicopters without import and giving much-needed fillip to the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ in helicopter design, development, and manufacture, they said.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and senior officials of Ministry of Defence were among those present on the occasion.
“It is a dedicated new greenfield helicopter factory which will enhance India’s capacity and ecosystem to build helicopters,” Singh said.
Assembly polls in Karnataka are due by May.
PM Modi unveiled the LUH, which has been flight tested. The LUH is an indigenously designed and developed three-tonne class, single-engine multipurpose utility helicopter. Initially, the factory will produce around 30 helicopters per year and can be enhanced to 60 and then 90 every year in a phased manner, according to the Defence Ministry.
The factory will be augmented to produce other helicopters such as Light Combat Helicopters (LCHs) and Indian Multirole Helicopters (IMRHs). It will also be used for maintenance, repair and overhaul of LCH, LUH, Civil Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) and IMRH in the future.
Potential exports of civil LUH will also be catered to from this factory, which is being equipped with state-of-the-art Industry 4.0 standard tools and techniques for its operations, officials said.
The proximity of the factory, with the existing HAL facilities in Bengaluru, will boost the aerospace manufacturing ecosystem in the region and support skill and infrastructure development such as schools, colleges and residential areas, it was noted.
The factory is fully operational after the establishment of facilities like heli-runway, flight hangar, final assembly hangar, structure assembly hangar, air traffic control and various supporting service facilities, officials said.
PM Modi lauds Sarva Sparshi’ Union Budget, says it will lay foundation for strong India
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hailed the union budget, saying it lays foundation for a strong India and helps to take a leap towards building a powerful nation.
He also said the pro-poor and pro-middle class budget has been discussed worldwide.
“This budget is going to give strength to a developed nation ensuring everyone’s participation in achieving the goal. It has further reinforced the foundation of a strong India when it completes 100 years of its independence,” Modi said at a public rally here after inaugurating Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s helicopter factory in this district.
This is PM’s third visit to poll-bound Karnataka in less than a month. He is scheduled to inaugurate the Aero India show here on February 13 and unveil the airport in the district headquarters town of Shivamogga on February 27.
Modi said the budget tabled by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1 was a “major step towards a strong, prosperous, complete, powerful and a fast-moving India”.
Many major steps have been taken that favours rural India, poor, women, youth and elderly people, he said.
“This budget is Sarva Sparshi’ (touching everyone’s life), Sarva Hitakari’ (beneficial to all), Sarva Samaveshi’ (all inclusive), Sarva Sukhkaari’ (pleasant to all) and Sarva Priya’ (loved by all). This budget gives job opportunities to all and encourages self-employment,” Modi told the gathering.
This budget favours agriculture and villages by promoting Sri Anna’ (millets), which will give a “global strength” to the marginal farmers.
He said the government has earmarked Rs 70,000 crore to give “roof” (shelter) to every poor family in villages.
The Prime Minister also lauded the income tax slabs announced in the budget. There is enthusiasm among the middle class due to zero income tax on income up to Rs seven lakh annually, especially youth below the age of 30 who newly got a job or launched a new business.
Increasing the deposit limit from Rs 15 lakh to Rs 30 lakh will increase the returns for senior citizens and making the leave encashment up to Rs 25 lakhs tax free will benefit those in the private sector, he added.
