The new Civil Aviation Minister, Ashok Gajapathi Raju Pusapati, said here on Thursday that the Union government would not take a hasty decision on privatisation of Air India, which is running up huge losses.
“All issues will be examined, and we are not closed to any idea. Public sector does have a place and a lot of countries have public sector companies. As of now, we are trying to formulate our views,” Mr. Pusapati said at a press conference after taking charge of the Ministry.
“Air India is a public sector undertaking. It has its pluses and minuses. How to develop it, we have to look into that.”
He said several airlines were facing losses, but added that the country needed more airlines. “Let us see if the government can do anything to correct this situation. We have to be of use to them. We are open to suggestions from all quarters. We will strive to create a level-playing field for all players and make the aviation sector more people-oriented.”
He would accord top priority to safety and connectivity, and promised to usher in transparency in the decision-making process.
On privatisation of airports including those at Kolkata and Chennai, the Minister said he would examine all related issues before taking a decision.
