New Delhi, Dec 08: To meet the peak season demand for air travel, government has arranged additional seat capacity of 1.2 lakh seats in the on-going winter season as part of the 'Open Sky policy', Civil Aviation Minister Rajiv P Rudy informed Lok Sabha today. The additional seat capacity in 2000-01 was 48,000 and it increased to 37,000 in 2001-02 and to 52,000 last year, he said during question hour.
He said the Indian Airlines' project report on acquisition of 43 aircraft, comprising 19 a-319s, four a-320s and 20 a-321s, was under consideration of the government.
However, it was yet to receive the Air India board's proposal to acquire 10 medium capacity, long-range a340-300s and 18 small capacity short-range Boeing 737-00s at an estimated cost of Rs 10,589 crore.
Rudy said two meetings of the public investment board had already taken place for IA's acquisition programme and the draft proposals had been sent to the finance ministry and Planning Commission. Once their clearance was received, the matter would be referred to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs.
The replacement component of IA's fleet acquisition was 70 per cent and the remaining was for its network expansion, he said.
To questions on a civil aviation policy, he said a new policy would be based on the recommendations of an expert group headed by former cabinet secretary Naresh Chandra.
Bureau Report