8216;Do not declare Air India sick8217;

Patel said,restoring Air India's financial health is completely doable.

Praful Patel,who took over as Cabinet Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises,said Air India,under his previous charge,should not be declared sick as restoring financial health to national carrier is 8220;completely doable8221;.

8220;Thankful to the Prime Minister for the new responsibilities8221; given to him,Patel,53,said Air India required for a long time fresh equity and the decision on the same came 8220;a little too late8221;.

The government was committed for financial restructuring of the carrier,he said.

Consultancy firm Deloite and SBI Caps are working on Air India8217;s revamp plan. 8220;I have seen the document prepared by Deloite and SBI Caps and the long term plans for AI. It is completely doable and certainly there is no issue of AI not doing well in the future,8221; Patel said.

He was 8220;sure8221; that the new Civil Aviation Minister Vayalar Ravi would be able to look at the complex issue of revival of AI.

8221; I do not see any reason why it can8217;t be put to good health8221;,he remarked.

It was only about a month ago that Patel had met then Heavy Industries Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh advising against the move to declare AI sick.

The state-owned company has accumulated losses over Rs 5,000 crore.

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With the change in his portfolio,Patel himself has take a call on whether or not to declare AI sick. He said,putting AI into a sick category would be 8220;very categorical8221; and not advisable8221;.

8220;Now after coming in this ministry,I will give all the help and positive approach to o it AI8221;,he said.

Reacting to an allegation that the merger of Air India and Indian Airlines was ill-advised,the NCP leader said it was a collective decision of the government.

8220;Whatever was done was done with a very very elaborate process of government decision-making. Nothing was done in haste or individually,8221; he said.

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Happy with his promotion from the Minister of StateIndependent charge to a Cabinet rank,Patel said he has bee wanting a change for a long time.

8220;It is time to move on,am happy to move on8221;.

As for priorities in the new portfolio,he said with the help of his economic background,a new direction would sought to be given to the functioning of the public sector enterprises.

If necessary,the government would examine with an open mind the issue of the PSUs entering into joint ventures 8221; as long as it makes economic sense8221;.

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His predecessor Deshmukh wished Patel all the success and greeted him on the occasion.