<p class="title">Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur on Tuesday met Finance Commission Chairman N K Singh and sought a Rs 2,000-crore special purpose grant to construct an international airport in the Mandi district.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Thakur said the Airports Authority of India has completed a technical survey related to obstacle limitation surfaces at Nagchala in the Mandi district and discussions are on for construction of airport fit for the operation of wide-bodied aircraft.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The chief minister requested Singh to consider state-specific grants for infrastructure development in various sectors and railway expansion, an official release said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">During the meeting, Thakur said the state is vulnerable to natural disasters, such as flash floods, cloudbursts, forest fires, droughts, cold waves and avalanches, and, therefore, there is a need to enhance the size of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).</p>.<p class="bodytext">He requested the Commission that SDRF is funded 100 per cent by the Central government.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The state needed to be compensated for the externalities arising from environment conservation and forest protection, he added.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Thakur requested the Commission to recommend adequate revenue deficit grants so that not only the deficit is neutralised but the state also has adequate revenue surplus to fund a part of the capital expenditure.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The chief minister was accompanied by a team of senior state officials. </p>
<p class="title">Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur on Tuesday met Finance Commission Chairman N K Singh and sought a Rs 2,000-crore special purpose grant to construct an international airport in the Mandi district.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Thakur said the Airports Authority of India has completed a technical survey related to obstacle limitation surfaces at Nagchala in the Mandi district and discussions are on for construction of airport fit for the operation of wide-bodied aircraft.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The chief minister requested Singh to consider state-specific grants for infrastructure development in various sectors and railway expansion, an official release said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">During the meeting, Thakur said the state is vulnerable to natural disasters, such as flash floods, cloudbursts, forest fires, droughts, cold waves and avalanches, and, therefore, there is a need to enhance the size of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).</p>.<p class="bodytext">He requested the Commission that SDRF is funded 100 per cent by the Central government.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The state needed to be compensated for the externalities arising from environment conservation and forest protection, he added.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Thakur requested the Commission to recommend adequate revenue deficit grants so that not only the deficit is neutralised but the state also has adequate revenue surplus to fund a part of the capital expenditure.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The chief minister was accompanied by a team of senior state officials. </p>