New Delhi: JDU’s acting national president and Rajya Sabha MP, Sanjay Kumar Jha, on Friday raised the issue of renaming Darbhanga airport during Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, urging the central government to name it “Kavi Kokil Vidyapati Airport” at the earliest.
Highlighting the airport’s success under the Udan scheme, Jha said it was among the most successful in the country. He praised the Prime Minister’s vision of developing airports in smaller cities, noting that a significant number of passengers now travel via Udan-linked airports. He also welcomed the Union Finance Minister’s announcement in this year’s budget to extend the Udan scheme for ten more years and introduce flights from 100 additional cities.
Jha recalled that in 2018, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the then Civil Aviation Minister laid the foundation stone for Darbhanga airport, and it was decided that the airport should be named after the celebrated Mithila poet, Vidyapati. He described Vidyapati as a distinguished figure in Maithili and Sanskrit literature, whose contributions to Indian literature and devotional traditions are widely acknowledged.
He pointed out that CM Nitish had formally written to the Union Civil Aviation Minister on December 22, 2020, requesting the renaming of Darbhanga airport. The Bihar Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council also passed a resolution in March 2021, recommending the same.
Jha urged the central government to approve the proposal promptly, stating that renaming the airport would honour Vidyapati’s enduring legacy and his deep-rooted influence on the people of Mithila.
