Acting on the advice of Mr N.R. Narayana Murthy, the Government may speed up clearance for the chartered flights bringing senior management customers of software companies from abroad.

At present, it takes 7-30 working days to take clearance for the private chartered aircraft registered abroad. The Indian corporate sector is requesting the Government to reduce the time for clearing such flights.

According to a senior Finance Ministry official, this matter came up for discussion during a review meeting recently. The meeting was called to review the implementation and action plan for various suggestions made by leading industrialists at their meeting with the Finance Minister on August 1.

Assurance

Officials claimed that the Civil Aviation Ministry has assured that it is working on a mechanism for speedy clearance of such flights. The clearance involves not just the Ministry of Civil Aviation but also the Ministries like External Affairs, Home Affairs and Defence (in some cases).

Raising the issue at the August 1 meeting, Mr Murthy suggested, that the Commerce Ministry could create a special cell to provide single window permission for landing of private aircrafts of such customers.

Officials clarified that though the Government is keen on speedy clearances, it did not want to compromise on national security. After the Purulia arms drop case, the Government is taking extra precaution in clearing any aircraft registered abroad and carrying foreign passengers.

The Aeronautical Society of India feels it is necessary to go in for speedy clearance. “The Government should review the seven working days conditions as lot of business opportunities get wasted in going through the formalities,” said Mr Debashish Saha, Member Council of the society.

shishir.s@thehindu.co.in

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