Bhubaneswar: A delegation of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs from Odisha today met Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu and urged him to take steps for setting up of new airports as well as development of the existing ones in the state.

The delegation led by Sambalpur MP and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan submitted a memorandum to Naidu for further development of the civic aviation sector in Odisha.

The delegation urged the Civil Aviation Minister to set up a new terminal building as Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) in the capital city here, initiate steps for second phase development of Veer Surendra Sai Airport at Jharsuguda, establish a new airport at Puri and develop Charbatia airstrip in Cuttack to a full-fledged airport.

Besides, the delegation pressed for the expansion of Jeypore and Rourkela airstrips and development of Tusura airstrip in Balangir district.

The Odisha MPs further requested the Civil Aviation Minister to include at least 10 more places in Odisha under the UDAN scheme of the Centre to boost regional air connectivity.

They pleaded for the inclusion of Barisal in Dhenkanal, Hirakud in Sambalpur, Rangeilunda in Ganjam, Paradeep in Jagatsinghpur, Utkela in Kalahandi, Kalinganagar in Jajpur, Raisuan in Keonjhar, Padmapur in Bargarh and Rasgovindpur and Rairangpur in Mayurbhanj under the UDAN scheme.