With less budgetary allocation for 2018-19, it will be difficult for the Ministry of Civil Aviation to run existing schemes and other activities, a Parliamentary panel has said as it urged the ministry to "actively pursue" efforts to get more funds.
In the latest Budget, the ministry has been allocated Rs 6,602.86 crore, that includes Rs 4,469.50 crore towards purchase of two new aircraft for VVIP flights. Once that amount is deducted, then the allocation would be only Rs 2,133.36 crore, which is lower than the revised budget estimate of Rs 2,710.30 crore for the current fiscal (2017-18).
The issue of lower allocation for the ministry has been flagged by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture.
"Keeping in view the considerable growth of the civil aviation sector, committee is of the considered view that with the present allocation, it would be difficult to run the existing schemes and other activities undertaken by the ministry," the panel said in its report on the ministry's Demand for Grants (2018-19).
The committee, in the report, tabled in the Parliament on Tuesday, recommended that the ministry should actively pursue the matter of increasing the allocation with the Finance Ministry.
"The ministry, in its written reply, has stated that the Ministry of Finance has not provided any reason for less allocation of Budget against the projections given by the Ministry of Civil Aviation," the report said.
It also noted that due to cut in projected budget for the ministry for 2018-19, some of the activities under revenue section would be affected.
"Keeping in view the great surge in the civil aviation sector, committee is of the considered view that lack of sufficient funds should not be reason for inadequate allocation of funds for the vital schemes/ projects of the ministry," the report said.
India is one of the fastest growing domestic aviation markets in the world.
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