Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ASSOCHAM) has mooted the idea of setting up a National Aviation Fund for financing airport infrastructure. The fund should be created by channelising various levies imposed on the airport infrastructure, the chamber said in a statement in New Delhi. It suggested that wherever the airports authority of India takes up non-viable projects for social objectives, the initial capital cost and recurring annual loss sustained by it should be reimbursed by the government. The chambers also recommended that the government privatise loss making and marginally profit making airports to private companies, state governments and local bodies for operation and management. There is a need for rationalisation and optimisation of various charges like passenger charges and imposition of new levies, it said adding that massive economy in expenditure can be realised from manpower optimisation, contracting out services and cost reduction. On the issue of private sector participation in the sector the chambers has said that this should also include state governments on a joint venture basis or any other pattern of ownership and manangement. Bureau Report