New Delhi, Aug 05: Bilateral civil aviation issues with Pakistan would be taken up at the meeting of civil aviation authorities of the two sides on August 27 and 28, Rajya Sabha was informed today. "The issues of direct air services, over flights and the specific dates for resumption of civil aviation links on reciprocal basis would be discussed during the meeting," Civil Aviation Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy said in a written reply. In reply to another question, he said rules pertaining to senior citizens' concession were modified with effect from July seven this year, adding no proposal to withdraw the revised rules was under consideration. He said a five-member committee has been set up to prepare a roadmap for civil aviation sector, which will provide the basis for a new civil aviation policy. Rudy said Air India has already phased out all three a-300-b4 aircraft in its fleet whereas Indian Airlines has taken a decision to replace the entire fleet of a-300 in a phased manner. However, Air India has no plans to phase out a-310-300 aircraft currently in its fleet but five a-300 aircraft are awaiting disposal.
The minister said 46 pilots have been suspended on refusing to fly suspensions of all have been revoked but disciplinary action is continuing against them.
In reply to another question, Minister of State for Water Resources Bijoya Chakravarthy replied in the negative to whether central ground water board was negotiating with World Bank for advancing soft loans to arrest the continuous depletion of ground water tables in west Rajasthan.
Bureau Report