Civil Aviation minister writes 'Om Shri Ram' 21 times before taking charge, says 'priority to bring down fare'

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu on Thursday said there is a need to bring down the airfares and his tenure will focus on making the air travel affordable for the common man. He wrote "Om Shri Ram" 21 times before taking charge as Union Civil Aviation Minister.

Telugu Desam Party MP Ram Mohan Naidu on Thursday wrote "Om Shri Ram" 21 times before taking charge as Union Civil Aviation Minister.  Naidu replaced the BJP's Jyotiraditya Scindia, who had been given charge of the Telecom Ministry.

As a member of the TDP, Naidu contributed significantly to the BJP's resurgence in power following the 2024 Lok Sabha election. He ran for the Srikakulam seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, which he has already won three times in a succession.

Ram Mohan Naidu, the minister of civil aviation, stated on Thursday that lowering airfares is imperative and that his ministry will concentrate on lowering the cost of air travel for the average person. The price of airline tickets has lately increased due to market conditions, particularly external forces like COVID-19.

Speaking to reporters, Naidu, who is a Telugu Desam Party MP, said, “My whole intention is to make sure that air travel is accessible to the common man. To make this a reality, the prices have to be affordable. My priority would be to bring down the prices (airfares).”

He stated, "We want India to be No. 1 in that (aviation infrastructure). We would prioritise and strongly encourage civil aviation under PM Modi's direction. I have been given this duty as the newest member of the Cabinet, and I have a lot to prove in this situation. I'd want to accept that challenge."

In response to rising demand, the government is expanding airports. India's two largest airlines, IndiGo, which holds an approximately 60% market share, and Tata Group Airlines, which holds a roughly 30% share, have hundreds of new aircraft on order.