Headlines
No plans to privatise airports, says minister
New Delhi, July 21
The government has no plans
to privatise any major airport in the country. However, it intends to
handle the development, operations and maintenance part through
partnership with the private sector, said a minister on Tuesday.
Minister
of State for Civil Aviation Mahesh Sharma informed parliament during
the question hour that the government has no plans to privatise major
airports, including those at Chennai, Kolkata and Ahmedabad.
"However,
the government intends to undertake the operation, management and
development of Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Jaipur airports through
public-private partnership (PPP)," the minister informed the Rajya
Sabha.
Last year, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) issued a
request for qualification (RFQ) to invite interested entities to
participate in the process.
According to the minister, all four
airports earmarked for PPP mode of development have been able to
increase their revenues during the last three years.
The data
furnished by the minister showed that the Chennai airport's revenue grew
from Rs.908.32 crore during 2013-14 to Rs.1,022.80 crore in 2014-15.
The
Kolkata airport generated Rs.668.93 crore revenue during the last
fiscal, raising it from Rs.630.62 crore in 2013-14. Ahmedabad airport
increased its turnover from Rs.217.93 crore to Rs.229.72 crore.
The Jaipur airport generated Rs.92.56 crore in 2014-15 from Rs.87.20 crore during 2013-14.