In its ongoing drive to cleanse the system of unqualified pilots, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has asked all airlines to monitor the hiring and training of co-pilots in a more effective manner and to file a monthly report on this.
For the peak summer season, starting May, the airline is offering fares that are up to 15 per cent less than what low-cost carriers are quoting.
Former managing director of McKinsey & Co, Rajat Gupta, has stepped down as chairperson of the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI). Gupta's resignation comes days before the PHFI executive was to discuss his exit.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has been told to work on awarding contracts for around 100 projects, covering 11,151 km, over the financial year starting April 1.
The new model, being prepared by the Planning Commission, is expected to be finalised in three months. It would have fixed total project costs and specifications.
An expert committee headed by Planning Commission member Narendra Jadhav is giving finishing touches to the proposals.
Armed with permission to issue Rs 10,000 crore (Rs 100 billion) of tax-free bonds in 2011-12, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will issue the first lot worth Rs 2,500 crore by mid-May.
Pilots working for Air India are divided on the call of a nationwide strike from March 9 by the Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA), part of the erstwhile Indian Airlines, which has 680 members.
The plan includes expanding the number of flights of AI Express from 204 a week to over 250 a week with a new thrust on West Asia.
In November, airlines resorted to raising spot fares by up to 300 per cent on various routes.
Officials say the new minister, CP Joshi, is convinced by the Planning Commission that the government should award more contracts under the tolling mode.
Main difference has been on including people above the poverty line in the Food Security Bill.
The Union Budget for 2011-12 is likely to be a low-key affair for social sector spending, as the government is unlikely to come up with any big-ticket announcement for the sector in the next financial year.
The government's bill for funding the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) has risen steeply, due to its decision to revise wage rates under these projects and to link these to the inflation rate.
"The deliveries of all 787 dreamliners will start from the second quarter of the next financial year and will complete by 2014. These fuel-efficient aircraft will help us reduce costs of our long-haul operations," said an Air India official.
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This demand is over and above the Rs 1,200 crore.
These single-aisle planes, made by European consortium Airbus Industrie, can seat between 160 and 180. They are considered ideal for domestic and short-haul international operations.
Industry players, who do not want to come on record, say this state of affairs is hampering NHAI's functioning.
"We will not regulate fares but there are cases of airlines charging very high fares in a particular route and such airlines will be asked to explain the reasons for that. They cannot charge such high fares without any valid reason," said a civil aviation ministry official.
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