Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy has urged the Telangana government to appoint a nodal officer to expedite the establishment of an Indian Air Force (IAF) Training Centre and a Joint User Airfield (JUA) for both civil and defence operations in Adilabad.
In a press release issued on Sunday, Mr. Reddy said the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Civil Aviation had already designated nodal officers to coordinate closely with the State government for the proposed project.
The defence infrastructure planned for the facility includes trainer aircraft, aircraft parking dispersals for visiting aircraft, weather shelters, hangars, an operational complex, training facilities and maintenance infrastructure. On the civilian side, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is expected to develop a civil terminal and a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility.
The project will also require residential and support infrastructure for defence personnel, including single and married accommodation, sports and recreational facilities, and other essential amenities. Dedicated engineering utilities such as water supply and sanitation systems will also have to be developed, he added.
Drug menace
Meanwhile, at a separate function in Hyderabad, Rajya Sabha member K. Laxman expressed concern over the growing menace of drug abuse among students and youth, particularly in schools and colleges.
The MP said the Narendra Modi-led Central government was pursuing a zero-tolerance policy against drug trafficking and had adopted a four-pronged strategy to make India drug-free by 2029 – intelligence-driven enforcement operations, action against sources of synthetic drugs, reduction of drug demand through awareness and de-addiction measures, and stronger coordination and capacity-building among investigative agencies.
Mr. Laxman said the Centre was strengthening the network of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) across the country while intensifying efforts to track drug syndicates, dismantle trafficking networks and follow money trails from local peddlers to international operators.
Published – September 20, 2026 06:49 pm IST
