Praful Patel,52,MoS (Independent Charge),Civil aviation

Having lost the 2004 Lok Sabha polls from Bhandara in Maharashtra,he got independent charge of the Civil Aviation Ministry after negotiations. He then went on to become the first civil aviation minister in 15 years to conclude two major aircraft acquisition deals.

HIS BRIEF

Patel was expected to carry out reforms ranging from airport modernisation to allowing private carriers in the domestic skies and strengthening the national carrier.

THE DELIVERIES

• Roped in private players to restructure the Delhi and Mumbai airports,handling Left opposition deftly.

• Merged Air-India and Indian Airlines. He also got them to place orders for 111 aircraft in record time.

• Got private airlines approval to fly abroad—they were restricted to SAARC countries earlier.

• His proactive approach created a conducive atmosphere for the low-cost airline revolution,with airfares hitting all-time lows.

REFORMS DERAILED

• The Rs 10,000-crore Navi Mumbai Greenfield airport is stuck for want of an environmental clearance.

• The Nagpur Cargo Hub,despite clearance from Union Cabinet,is awaiting take-off.

• Plans to set up a Greenfield airport in Greater Noida are pending.

• Regional air connectivity remains a grey area with not many scheduled operators willing to fly to non-metro towns,particularly in the North-East.

• Plans to set up the National Flying Training Institute in Patel’s hometown Gondia have been slow-footed.

OPPORTUNITIES BLOWN

Didn’t revamp the organisations—the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and the Bureau Of Civil Aviation Security—responsible for safety and security. Even as the Directorate General of Civil Aviation,the safety regulator,came close to the risk of being downgraded by the US Federal Aviation Administration over the lack of strong regulatory mechanisms,the Bureau Of Civil Aviation Security,too,failed to play a pro-active role.

WHAT WAS HE THINKING?

“Air-India and Indian Airlines will not be merged,only synergised,” he said,days before he announced the plan to merge both carriers.

HIGH POINTS

• Successfully handing over the Delhi and Mumbai airport to private players for modernisation and restructuring despite stiff resistance from the Left parties.

• Getting mega aircraft acquisition plans cleared and finalising orders for 111 Boeing and Airbus aircraft.

LOW POINT

Was unable to arrest the rising price of Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF). Failed to get ATF “declared goods” status.

VIEW FROM THE SHADOW

“Praful Patel could not initiate a single new reform measure. He merely carried forward the measures initiated during our time.”

—Rajiv Pratap Rudy,former NDA civil aviation minister

DID HE GET YOUR VOTE?

Patel won from Bhandara-Gondia in Maharashtra by 2.5 lakh votes.