There is scepticism in some quarters that the Budget for 2010-11, while spreading cheer, may be skating on thin ice. For instance, some of its assumptions will give way if the non-tax revenue projections turn out to be castles in the air.
Disinvestment proceeds of the government could be higher than the estimate of Rs 25,000 crore for 2009-10. The government has already raised Rs 13,621 crore through disinvestment in four public sector companies.Dilution of stake in National Mineral Development Corporation, the fifth public sector undertaking to come out with a public offer this year, is likely to fetch the government more than the remaining Rs 11,388 crore, thereby exceeding even the revised target.
The Airports Authority of India plans to privatise 15 out of 40 non-operational airports across the country on a public-private partnership basis to make them function again."Out of 40 non-operational airports, 15 have the potential to operate and we have planned to give the airports to private developers to operate it for a concession period," said a top AAI official, who did not wish to be identified.
After stiff resistance from its employees against a steep pay cut, National Aviation Company of India Ltd), which runs Air India, has come out with a fresh proposal to impose a 15-17 per cent cut on the total salary package.The total package includes basic salary, dearness allowance, house rent allowance and payments made under the productivity-linked incentive scheme . The cut, however, would not be applicable on 4000 employees.
'Prices can be adjusted now. The government can even temporarily cut taxes'.
India's share will only get bigger once SpiceJet enters the fray from June to fly south east Asia and south Asian countries.
ATC operations provide over 60 per cent of AAI revenue. The move is to ensure focus on revamp of ATC, particularly the key area of staff hiring, where there is a big shortage.
The move comes when Kingfisher remains the only listed airline in India to have made losses in the third quarter of the current financial year.
Air India to shift, unused capacity in existing bilaterals may be mobilised.
The government may take the first step towards fiscal consolidation in Budget 2010-11 by partially rolling back tax cuts given to the industry last year. The service tax rate may be restored to 12 per cent, while excise duty could be increased marginally.
The first Indian civil aviation minister to fly for a commercial airline -- Rajiv Gandhi has been the only prime minister to do so -- Rudy started his job with IndiGo from January 4.
Former Civil Aviation Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national spokesman Rajiv Pratap Rudy has been hired as a co-pilot with Delhi-based private airline IndiGo Airlines on an honorary basis.
"This is the best time that Indian aviation is seeing and the next six months will be critical. The airlines should monetise this growth without getting into unnecessary capacity addition," said Nikhil Vora, managing director, IDFC-SSKI, a financial services group.
The ministry of urban development has asked the finance ministry to lower the duty in order to promote the public transportation system in the country.
Mitra will take over from P V Bhide after January 31.
The runways are expected to be made operational for the larger aircraft before the Commonwealth Games in October.
The government may take the first step towards fiscal consolidation in Budget 2010-11 by partially rolling back tax cuts given to the industry last year. The service tax rate may be restored to 12 per cent, while excise duty could be increased marginally.
The airport and user development fees will be kept out of it.
The loan will be at an interest rate of 7.5 per cent and for a period of three years. "We have negotiated with SBI for Rs 600 crore (Rs 6 billion) and Rs 300 crore (Rs 3 billion) will come immediately and the rest will come by March-end," said a senior AAI official.
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