Ranchi: Union Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu Kinjarpu on Wednesday said the number of operational airports across the country has more than doubled and the number of passengers has increased manifold due to the initiatives taken by the NDA government in the last 12 years. He announced that the Center will develop more than 100 airports and 200 helipads in the next decade to strengthen the civil aviation sector.Naidu inaugurated several facilities including a flight passenger café, a library, a children’s area and an AVSAR counter/kiosk to support local artisans of Jharkhand, and unveiled a statue of tribal leader Birsa Munda at the Birsa Munda Airport.“Airports are becoming hubs of economic, cultural activities and employment opportunities and are playing a strategic role in the development of the country. The number of operational airports has increased from 74 to 165 since 2014, making India one of the fastest growing countries in the civil aviation sector worldwide. The number of aircraft and the number of passengers have also increased manifold,” he said.“The Ministry has allocated Rs 29,000 crore this year, the highest ever allocation, to launch the second phase of the UDAN (Ude Desh Ke Aam Nagrik) (UDAN 2.0) scheme to enhance regional connectivity to promote the growth of the civil aviation sector,” the minister said.