BANGALORE: Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Wednesday said the construction work of the international airport coming up at Devanahalli would be completed by this year-end and the airport would be ready for operation by April 2008 as per the schedule.

Mr. Yediyurappa was addressing presspersons after a meeting with officials of the Bangalore International Airport Ltd. (BIAL) here.

He said construction of the airport was progressing as per the schedule. The trial run of the aircraft would commence from early next year, he said.

Asked about the BIAL's request for exemption of special entry tax, which would cost Rs. 40 crore to the State exchequer, Mr. Yediyurappa said a decision would be taken soon. There was no mention of the special entry tax in the original agreement signed with the Government and it had been introduced later.

On waiver of cooperative farms loans, he said a meeting of officials of the Karnataka State Cooperative Apex Bank Ltd., the Reserve Bank of India, district cooperative banks and National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) would be called in a week's time to discuss the proposal.

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