The Hindu Business Line : Chidambaram to head IA fleet acquisition panel

THE Finance Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, is to head the four-member empowered Group of Ministers (e-GoM) that has been set up to conduct the final round of price negotiations with the European aircraft manufacturer, Airbus for Indian Airlines 43-Airbus fleet acquisition plan.

Addressing a press conference, the Secretary Civil Aviation, Mr Ajay Prasad, said that the other members of the e-GoM include the Minister for Law and Justice, Mr H.R. Bharadwaj, the Minister for Programme Implementation, Mr Oscar Fernandes, and the Minister for Civil Aviation, Mr Praful Patel.

The decision to refer the matter to an e-GoM was taken earlier this month.

The need for a final round of price negotiations arose after a group of Parliamentarians wrote to the Government quoting reports that the Airbus Industrie had offered a lower price for a similar order by a Southeast Asian airline.

The airline board had cleared the proposal for acquiring the 43-aircraft in 2002 and the Public Investment Board had given its nod for the project in November last year.

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