Air India disinvestment gets in-principle Cabinet approval

Finance Minister announces Cabinet decision in a press briefing in New Delhi

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday cleared the sale of government stake in debt-laden Air India, but the final modalities, including the quantum of stake sale, will be decided by a group of ministers, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced. 

“The Cabinet has given an "in-principle" approval to the stake sale,” Jaitley told reporters.

 
A group will be set up to finalise modalities and details of disinvestment of Air India, including the quantum of stake sale, Jaitley said.
 
The civil aviation ministry is charting out the disinvestment of the state-run carrier.
 
Surviving on taxpayers’ money, Air India has been in the red for long and various proposals, including government think-tank NITI Aayog's suggestion for complete privatisation, have been made.

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The airline has a debt of more than Rs 52,000 crore and is surviving on a Rs 30,000-crore bailout package extended by the previous UPA government in 2012.

Air India disinvestment: A timeline

1932: J.R.D. Tata establishes the airline as Tata Airlines

 

1948: Government acquires 49% stake starts operation as Air India International

 

1953: Government takes 100 per cent stake in the company 

 

1962: Air India International rebranded as Air India

 

2000: Vajpayee government clears proposal to disinvest stake in both Air India and Indian Airlines

 

2007: Air India and Indian Airlines merged into single entity named as National Aviation Company of India Limited (NACIL)

 

2012: UPA approves turnaround plan for the airline and infuse over Rs 30,000 crore till 2021 

 

2017: NDA govt approves in-principle approval of Air India's disinvestment

Other decisions

Among other key decisions taken by the Union Cabinet on Wednesday were approval to the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission for increase in allowances of 4.7 million central government employees, signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation between India and the US on Homeland Security, and an MoU between India and Israel on National Campaign for water conservation in India.