Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Sunday said, the government should not be running airports and airlines on adding that he is hopeful of completing Air India’s privatization process within 2020.
While addressing a virtual meet on Namo app, Puri said, “I can tell you from my heart the government should not be running airports and the government should not be running airlines.”
The Centre-run Airports Authority of India (AAI) owns and manages more than 100 airports, including the one in Kerala’s capital city.
Last Tuesday, the Central government extended by two months the deadline for placing bids for Air India till October 30 as the Covid-19 fallout has disrupted economic activity globally.
The process of stake sale in the national carrier was initiated on January 27. This is the fourth extension given by the government for putting in bids.
The Civil Aviation Minister further defended the move for the privatization of airports by the Centre by stating that during the erstwhile Congress rule they had “privatised the Delhi, Mumbai airports.” (ANI)
