Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik has decided to train a bunch of youths as pilots in an attempt to realise the dream of his father Biju Patnaik, who was a daring aviator.

A state government note issued after the cabinet meeting on Saturday said that an aviation centre named after Biju Patnaik would be established at Birasol Airstrip in Dhenkanal to train pilots to meet the growing demand for professional pilots in the country.

“Aligning with ace aviator and ex-chief minister Biju Patnaik’s dream of fostering a generation of skilled pilots, the government of Odisha has proudly announced the establishment of the Biju Patnaik Aviation Centre (BPAC) at Birasol Airstrip in Dhenkanal district of Odisha,” said a government communique.

The proposed Biju Patnaik Aviation Centre (BPAC) would train 500 professional pilots every year. Biju Babu, a daring pilot who carried out several impossible missions during his days as an aviator, had a dream of nurturing Odisha youths as pilots.

Chief secretary P.K. Jena said: “The cabinet has approved an amount of Rs 562 crore for setting up a one-stop-shop aviation training centre at Birsol in Dhenkanal district which encompasses pilot training, simulator training and cabin crew training and other allied skill training related to the aviation sector.”

The state government in a communique said: “Aviation industry is growing very rapidly, and India is poised to strengthen its position further with a huge number of orders placed for aircraft leading airlines India faces a pressing need to consistently produce 2000 pilots annually over the next 20 years to meet the escalating demand for
airline pilots. The project aims to train about 500 professionals annually and has the potential to change the entire landscape of the aviation sector in the country.”

It further said: “Odisha will be in a prominent position in the aviation sector and can create a pipeline of qualified workforces in the aviation industry for the entire country and the region as a whole.”

The establishment of BPAC will significantly benefit the local economy of the region. “It will create a surge in economic activity through increased transformation, hospitality services and demand for local business. The project would provide immense opportunity to the youth of Odisha to avail the benefits of participating as professionals in the aviation sector.