No plans to use pvt airlines for moving paramilitary forces: Chidambaram

Government is not considering engaging private domestic airlines for moving paramilitary forces, Home Minister P Chidambaram informed the Rajya Sabha today.

Replying to supplementaries during Question Hour, he said the Government was, however, considering outsourcing of air courier services for Central Paramilitary Force personnel from Jammu and Kashmir and North Eastern sectors as a welfare measure.

"At this moment, it is only a proposal. Once approval of the competent authority is obtained, an open tender will be floated," he said.      All commercial airlines registered with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation would be eligible to bid.

"The decision to go through an open tender was taken after consulting Air India," he said.

Chidambaram said due to its own operational commitments, Indian Air Force is providing limited air support to paramilitary forces.

"As far as outsourcing of air courier service is concerned, it will be operated in Jammu and Kashmir sector - between Jammu and Srinagar, and in the North Eastern sector - between Imphal, Agartala, Silchar and Kolkata," he said.

"At these airports, there is already a heavy traffic of commercial airlines in operation. As such, there is no security risk involved," he added.