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The Centre is keen to sell off the stake in the airports of Delhi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Mumbai very soon. The process is as per the ambitious Rs 2.5 lakh crore asset monetisation pipeline. This is planned to raise the additional resources. The Centre will now sell the stake of the Airport Authority of India. Apart from these four, the stake of AAI in 13 more airports is identified for the privatization in 2021-22. The Ministry of Civil Aviation will get all the needed approvals for divestment of equity shake of AAI in Delhi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Mumbai airports. The plan will reach the Central cabinet for approval very soon.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation is keen to club profitable and non-profitable airports through new packages. The Adani Group bagged the contracts for six airports: Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Mangaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, and Guwahati. The deal was inked last year. AAI owns more than 100 airports in the country. Adani Group holds 74 percent stake in the Mumbai International airport and AAI holds the 26 percent stake. GMR Group owns 54 percent stake in Delhi International Airport and AAI has 26 percent stake and Fraport AG and Eraman Malaysia holds 10 percent stake. AAI and AP Government hold 26 percent stake in Hyderabad International Airport.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharam said that monetising the assets will help the country to construct new infrastructure. Narendra Modi recently said that the Indian government is on the plan to monetise 100 assets to bring out an investment of Rs 2.5 lakh crores.

By Siva Kumar