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Govt. rules out AAI privatization
By agencies
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Thursday, 28 April 2005, 19:30 IST
NEW DELHI: The Government today virtually ruled out privatizing the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the body that looks after all the airports in the Country.
Speaking in Parliament, Civil Aviation minister Praful Patel said the government would rather borrow money and will go for private-public partnership rather than privatizing the board that is strategically important with the security point of view. ''We will go for borrowing, and private-public ventures, but there will be no privatization,'' he said.
He also said that no employees will lose their job in the joint venture undertaken for the modernization of Mumbai and Delhi airports.
''I categorically state that no employees will lose their job. The employees will be on deputation for three years in the joint venture. Thereafter, 40 percent of the employees will have to be employed in the joint venture. The remaining employees will not lose their job,'' he said.
He also said the government was going in for up gradation of 30 airports, besides the six metro airports.