Recent reports that the Ministry of Civil Aviation is going slow in allowing private airlines to import more aircraft have raised questions about the role of the Government in the investment and financial decisions of companies not owned by it in the first place.
Take the Delhi-based low-cost private airline, IndiGo, which had sought permission from the Aircraft Acquisition Committee in the Civil Aviation Ministry for import of 16 aircraft during this current calendar to add to its fleet.
According to reports, the airline has instead been permitted to import only five aircraft.
The Aircraft Acquisition Committee is the nodal agency, which clears all requests by airlines or even private individuals wanting to import aircraft. Earlier, this panel was headed by a Joint Secretary-level official, but recently it got ‘upgraded’ and is now headed by none other than the Minister for Civil Aviation.
07/02/13 Ashwini Phadnis/Business Line
