Rafales, woman pilot among January 26 firsts
The proposals will now be sent to state government officials for a final approval
NEW DELHI: The Indian Air Force’s Rafales, Sukhoi-30s and Mig-29s — fighters that are part of its muscular posture in the Ladakh theatre — are among the 42 aircraft that will take part in this year’s Republic Day flypast, IAF officials said on Monday.
The Rafales, whose induction into the IAF began last September and is work in progress, are
taking part in the flypast for the first time. A woman fighter pilot will also participate in the parade for the first time.
The IAF’S solitary Rafale squadron will add more muscle with the arrival of at least three more fighter jets by the end of the month. The delivery of these jets will take the number of Rafales in IAF’S inventory to 11. India has ordered 36 warplanes from France at a cost of ₹59,000 crore.
The IAF’S C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft, C-130J Super Hercules special operations plane, Apache AH-64E attack helicopters and CH-47F (I) Chinook multi-mission choppers — platforms that have formed part of the force’s role in the Ladakh sector — will also participate in the flypast, the officials said.
Flight Lieutenant Bhawana Kanth, one of the first women fighter pilots in IAF, will be a part of the air force’s tableau that will showcase mock-ups of the light combat aircraft, light combat helicopter and the Sukhoi-30 fighter plane.
NOIDA: In its 201st board meeting held on Monday, the Noida authority discussed as many as 28 agendas, during which it allowed an amnesty scheme for water consumers who are yet to pay their bills. The proposals will now be sent to the state government for final nod.
Officials said that the authority has offered an amnesty of up to 40% on interest to consumers who pay their bills by January 31. If the bills are cleared latest by the end of February, the amnesty will be 30% on interest, and 20% of the bills are cleared by Marchend.
“The board discussed 28 agendas, including land allotment for two new police stations and a new scheme for industrial projects, among others,” said Ritu
Maheshwari, chief executive officer (CEO) of the Noida authority.
Space for the two new police stations has been allotted in Sector 106 and Sector 143. The authority has been changing the land-use terms from green belt to institutional at these two places so as to pave the way for the setting up of the stations.
“We are making necessary changes in the city’s master plan and also getting approvals from the state government, paving the way for the construction of these new police stations. The board has approved the proposal for this,” said Maheshwari.
The authority has already invited suggestions and objections from the general public to make changes in the master plan and in the building bylaws 2010 of the city.
Once the changes are made, the authority will send proposals to the state government for approval. After officials in Lucknow give their nod, the authority will provide land to the police for setting up the police stations.
The need for police stations in these areas was felt as several group housing projects and offices are located here where thousands live and work, officials had said, besides which the number of citizens is increasing in these newly built societies. The land had been requested for by the police department.
Apart from this, the authority has approved a decision to allow digging to lay pipelines for piped natural gas (PNG) supply in households across the city, as well as to provide residential land to farmers.
A proposal for the Noida Sports Trust to organise sports events at the city’s stadium has also been approved, besides approval of new rules for industrial plot allotment, payment of lease in four parts, and revision for map approvals for houses in villages, among others.
Officials said the lease payment decision will benefit developers who have been unable to pay the lease amount of 15% of the total property cost all in one go.
Now, they can pay the same parts and obtain registry permission, benefiting homebuyers, said the officials.
The move will pave the way for flat registration in newly built housing projects where registry was stuck due to the non-payment of lease by developers.