Bhubaneswar, March 14: The Assembly's standing committee on home, general administration, law and public grievances and pension administration departments has recommended that a permanent helipad be set up in each district headquarters town to facilitate landing of choppers at all times, including that of natural calamities.

The committee, which in its fourth report on scrutiny of demand for grants for the year 2017-18 relating to the general administration department, expressed concern over the lack of permanent helipads in most of the districts and also called for steps to expedite acquisition of land for runway expansion and upgrade of airstrips at Rangeilunda in Ganjam and Utkela in Kalahandi district.

Apart from an international airport in Bhubaneswar, the state has 20 airstrips spread over various districts. Of these, 12 are owned by the state government.

"Efforts are being made for development of these airstrips, including construction of boundary walls to protect them from encroachment and intrusion," said the committee's report, adding that Rs 5 crore had been allocated under the state plan during 2016-17 for development of airstrips and expansion of runways.

The government, according to the report, has also decided to construct a new airstrip at Malkangiri in the backward Kalahandi-Balangir-Koraput area.

"Acquisition of private and alienation of government land required for this purpose are in the final stage. Steps are being taken up to upgrade Jeypore airstrip in Koraput district into a full-fledged airport. It has been decided to take up the expansion of runways of 5,000 feet of four airstrips - Jeypore (Koraput district), Ranmgeilunda (Ganjam district), Sativata (Bargarh district) and Rasgovindpur (Mayurbhanj district) on priority basis. The Rasgovindpur airstrip at present is under the control of ministry of defence," the report said.

The report noted that Jharsuguda airport - under the control of Airports Authority of India - was already being developed to make it ready to operate commercial flights.

"The required private land and government land (except forestland) has been handed over to the Airports Authority of India. Preliminary survey for construction is being undertaken by the authority as well," the report states.