Civil aviation's budgetary allocation increased to over Rs 6,000 crore

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday proposed to allocate Rs 6,602.86 crore to the Ministry of Civil Aviation for fiscal 2018-19.

The government had allocated Rs 2,702 crore to the ministry for the financial year 2017-18. However, the revised estimates for 2017-18, showed that the Civil Aviation Ministry received a total allocation of Rs 2,710.31 crore.

Out of the total outlay earmarked for the ministry during 2018-19, Rs 4,469.50 crore

has been allocated for the "purchase of two new aircraft for special extra section flight operations" which will be used for VVIP operations.

According to the expenditure budget document 2018-19, the government's regional connectivity scheme -- Udan -- has been given a budgetary support of Rs 1,014.09 crore which has been increased from Rs 200.11 crore.

"The proposal is for revival of 50 airports and Viability Gap funding for North East Connectivity," the documents on 'Notes on Demands for Grants' for the Ministry of Civil Aviation read.

In another trench, a budgetary support of Rs 650 crore has been provided to the national carrier Air India on account of a turnaround and financial restructuring plan worth more than Rs 30,000 crore which was passed in April, 2012.

The airline has also been allowed to raise Rs 506 crore through IEBR (Internal and Extra Budgetary Resources).

Further, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has been provided a total outlay of Rs 73.31 crore, while it is expected to riase Rs 4,086 crore through IEBR route.

"Grants-in-aid to AAI is given as reimbursement of expenditure already done by them on the existing projects. The funds are provided for Pakyong Airport," the document read.

--IANS

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