Govt to encourage pvt-public pacts in freighter operations

New Delhi, Apr 10 (UNI) The government will encourage private-public partnership in freighter operations, civil aviation secretary Ajay Prasad said today.

He said there is need for more freighter aircraft in the country for speedy movement of perishable goods. For this, the civil aviation ministry is exploring three options.

The first is to convert old generation planes of government-owned Air India and Indian into cargo aircraft when they start getting delivery of new aircraft in last quarter of this calendar year. The second is to ask private companies like FedEx to lease more aircraft.

The third is to float joint venture companies with government-owned airlines and private freighter carriers, said Mr Prasad while addressing the India Cargo Summit here. The meet was organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

He added that such proposals will be subject to foreign direct investment (FDI) rules in the aviation sector.

''We'd also like private companies to take land on lease at non-metro airports across the country and develop cargo terminals,'' said Mr Prasad.

Meanwhile, the Planning Commission has formed a committee headed by its member Anwar-ul Hoda to submit a report on policy changes required for the logistics industry.

Deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said the panel will evolve inter-ministerial consensus and present concrete suggestions for a final view.

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