An empowered Group of Ministers on Sunday short-listed three companies in connection with the appointment of a financial consultant for the privatisation and modernisation of the Mumbai and Delhi airports.

At its first meeting in Delhi, the empowered GoM, comprising Finance Minister Jaswant Singh, Divestment Minister Arun Shourie, Law Minister Arun Jaitley and Civil Aviation Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy, decided to finalise the name of the financial consultant at the next meeting on November 14, after their financial bids are opened.

The short-listed companies are ABN-Amro, Ernst and Young and KPMG, Rudy told reporters after an hour-long meeting in North Block.

The empowered group also decided to appoint a global technical advisor to assist the Civil Aviation Ministry on the parameters of the design and construction of the ultra-modern airports at the two metro cities.