New Delhi: The government is inclined to initially clear Rs 800 crore of about Rs 1,220 crore it owes to Air India.
The decision may be taken during the next meeting of the group of ministers (GoM), led by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, on Monday. The panel is looking into ways of turning around Air India.
According to officials at the civil aviation ministry, the government has given indications that it is likely to pay a part of the dues.
Air India has been for a long time asking the government to settle the arrears on account of VVIP and evacuation flights.
“Though Air India has billed an amount of Rs 1,222 crore for dedicating five Boeing 747-400 planes for VVIPs, the government is likely to give Air India around Rs 800 crore. We are expecting the announcement after the next GoM meeting,” said a senior official of the civil aviation ministry.
The issue was discussed at a meeting of a committee of secretaries (CoS) headed by cabinet secretary A.K. Seth.
The secretaries are also understood to have asked the national carrier to finalise its turnaround and financial restructuring plans and present it to the civil aviation ministry so that the GoM can take it up.
The aviation ministry has moved a cabinet note for circulation among various ministries to hive off ground-handling and maintenance, repair and overhaul businesses of the airline into separate units.
17/07/11 Karan Choudhury/The Telegraph
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