The decision to start direct flights to Amritsar and Canada will see a unique change in the attitude towards India among the Punjabis living abroad and the Sikh community, said Prof. Sarchand Singh who also advocated for increasing the traffic of cargo flights from Amritsar Airport
Canada’s Punjabi Diaspora community is pushing to start Air India flights from Amritsar to Canada. About three dozen Sabha Societies, Gurdwara and Temple Committees of Canada’s Overseas Sikh and Hindu communities have appealed to Iqbal Singh Lalpura, Chairman of the National Minorities Commission of the Government of India, reported punjabnewsexpress.com.
With the initiative of Canada’s media personality and social worker Prof. Kulwinder Singh Chhina, the demands and resolutions related to the said concerns were submitted to Lalpura by Prof. Sarchand Singh, Adviser of the Minority Commission and for the commencement of Air India flights from Amritsar to Canada. They were asked to strongly appeal and take appropriate action. BJP leader Jagdeep Singh Nakai was also present on the occasion. The diaspora Punjabi community recently welcomed the decision of Italian Neos Airlines to start a one-day weekly flight from Amritsar to Canada, and asked the Government of India to soon launch Air India international flights from Amritsar International Airport to Toronto and Vancouver, Canada.
Iqbal Singh Lalpura said that the concerns of the diaspora Punjabi community were being taken care of. He said that he had taken up the matter with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indian Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia regarding this long-standing demand of the entire Punjabi community, which is being considered at the highest level. He assured that meaningful results will come soon.
Among the sabha societies of the Diaspora Punjabi community who have sent letters in this regard are the Sikh Spiritual Center Toronto, Hindu Sabha Brampton Ontario, Vedic Hindu Cultural Society BC, Mata Gujri Ji Sikh Temple East Grafraxa Ontario, Nanaksar Satsang Sabha Ontario, Sadh Sangat Board Nanaksar Society Inc. Brampton, Sanj Punjab Radio TV Inc.
The farmers of Punjab and especially the border areas will benefit. Farmers will be able to sell fruits and vegetables abroad
Meanwhile, Prof. Kulwinder Singh Chhina and Prof. Sarchand Singh in a joint statement criticized the Punjab government for not taking appropriate action with the central government for this purpose. He also expressed regret over the exclusion of Punjab from the Air Transport Agreement signed by the Government of Canada with India and said that Canadian Punjabi MPs had not lived up to the expectations of the diaspora Punjabi community. He said that most passengers come from Punjab in Air India and Air Canada flights operated from Delhi. Due to non-availability of direct flights between Canada and Punjab, passengers were exposed to road accidents in addition to additional money, time and great inconvenience.
The decision to start direct flights to Amritsar and Canada will see a unique change in the attitude towards India among the Punjabis living abroad and the Sikh community, said Prof. Sarchand Singh who also advocated for increasing the traffic of cargo flights from Amritsar Airport. He said that the agricultural industry would be strengthened with the increase in cargo flights. The farmers of Punjab and especially the border areas will benefit. Farmers will be able to sell fruits and vegetables abroad.
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