New Delhi, Feb 04: The Union cabinet meeting today deferred its decision to clear the much-awaited civil aviation policy which would have allowed private airlines to fly beyond Indian shores.
Sources said reservations expressed by the home ministry led to deep divisions among Cabinet members. At the same time, Opposition leader Sonia Gandhi wrote to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee saying proposals like mentioned in the Naresh Chandra Committee report will amount to major policy decisions in vital sectors like infrastructure, especially when the government has decided to go in for early elections.
The Cabinet meeting, presided over by Vajpayee, discussed the issue inconclusively and private airlines will now wait till a new government is formed before flying to overseas destinations.
The one-hour meeting was abruptly adjourned as Cabinet ministers rushed to the Lok Sabha to participate in a discussion on the interim budget.
Home Ministry sources said new security rules will need to be framed before the government allows private domestic carriers to fly abroad.
Bureau Report
Bureau Report