Hyderabad/Patna: Bihar has been conferred a national award for its progress in the civil aviation sector at Wings India 2026, a flagship event organised by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, recognising the state’s policy reforms, infrastructure expansion and coordinated approach to aviation development.
The award was presented to Nilesh Ramchandra Deore, secretary of Bihar’s civil aviation department, by the Union civil aviation minister, Rammohan Naidu, in the presence of senior ministry officials. The citation highlighted Bihar’s sustained efforts to strengthen its aviation ecosystem through fiscal incentives and administrative reforms.
A key factor behind the recognition was the state government’s decision to sharply reduce value added tax on aviation turbine fuel from 30% to 4%, creating one of the most competitive tax regimes for airlines in India. Officials said the move had significantly lowered operating costs at Bihar’s airports, improving the state’s attractiveness for domestic carriers.
The award also acknowledged ongoing work to expand airport infrastructure. Land acquisition processes are underway for several proposed and under-development airports, with the state aiming to complete them within fixed timelines to meet future passenger, cargo and regional connectivity requirements.
Bihar has additionally focused on the implementation of the regional connectivity scheme, expanding air links to new destinations while promoting helicopter services, disaster response capabilities and tourism-led aviation activities. Efforts are also being made to build aviation-related skills and institutional capacity within the state.
As part of this push, the Bihar Flying School recently secured second place nationally in rankings issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, a development cited during the award presentation.
State officials said the recognition at Wings India 2026 reflected coordinated work between the Bihar government, district administrations, and central and state agencies. The government expressed gratitude to the civil aviation ministry and reiterated its commitment to continued policy reform and infrastructure investment to ensure safe, affordable and inclusive air connectivity across the state.
