Privatisation of Air India and Air India Express
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION
RAJYA SABHA
QUESTION NO 42
ANSWERED ON 20.11.2019
Privatisation of Air India and Air India Express
42 Dr. Subramanian Swamy
Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION be pleased to state :-
(a) whether Government has decided to privatise the Air India and Air India Express; and
(b) if so, the steps taken in this process of privatisation so far?
ANSWER
The Minister of State (IC) in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION (Shri Hardeep Singh Puri)
(a) & (b): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
Statement in reply to part (a) & (b) of Rajya Sabha Starred Question No.42 for 20.11.2019 regarding “Privatisation of Air India and Air India Express” tabled by Dr. Subramanian Swamy, MP.
(a): Yes, Sir.
(b): Earlier, the Preliminary Information Memorandum (PIM) for inviting Expression of Interest (EOI) for the Strategic Disinvestment of Air India including its shareholding in Air India Express and AISATS was issued on 28.03.2018. No EoI/bid was received till the last date for receipt of bids i.e. 31.05.2018.
As per the Transaction Adviser, one of the probable reasons for not receiving bids was that Government of India had proposed to retain 24 percent of its stake in Air India.
Air India Specific Alternative Mechanism (AISAM) has now, inter-alia, approved the reinitiation of process of strategic disinvestment of Air India & its Subsidiaries with 100 percent sale of Government of India stake in Air India along with Air India Express and Government stake in AISATS. Discussions are being held with various stakeholders to get their inputs.
