NEW DELHI, January 21: The Planning Commission has decided to allocate Rs 500 crore for the aviation sector during the Ninth Plan period, half of the Rs 1015 crore sought by the ministry. Besides, it has sanctioned external assistance of Rs 21 crore to the sector.Planning Commission sources said the distribution of the allocation over the different departments would be left to the civil aviation ministry. In a letter to the ministry the commission has also scaled down the total outlay for the period from Rs 18,800 crore projected by the ministry to Rs 12,200 crore after excluding plans of Air India and Indian Airlines to buy fresh aircraft.However, the commission has specified that the allocation for the Amritsar airport will not exceed Rs 75 crore while the allocation for equity infusion into Indian Airlines will not exceed Rs 125 crore.The real problem will be for the Airports Authority of India (AAI) which had sought Rs 470 crore for its various projects Rs 300 for the North-East and Rs 170 crorefor four airports at Karnataka. Even if the ministry allocates most of the sanctioned support to AAI, it cannot exceed Rs 200 crore because of its other commitments.
