New Delhi: With the aviation sector facing acute crisis, Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh is unhappy over the recent increase in service tax on air tickets and high jet fuel price and would take up the issue with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for a re-look into the matter. Ajit Singh, who has already written to Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and plans to consult him again, underlines that the increase effected...
10:40 AM, Jun 10, 2012
New Delhi: Boeing has agreed to pay compensation to Air India for the over three-year delay in delivery of the B-787 Dreamliner but there was no clarity on the amount. Air India had two years ago sought a $710 million package for the delay and several rounds of negotiations have taken place since then. In the last week of May, the airline Board agreed on a compensation package from US...
02:20 AM, Jun 09, 2012
New Delhi: After virtually shutting the doors on 100 sacked Air India pilots, the government is working on a plan to replace them with those shed by some private airlines like Jet Airways. Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh on Thursday said alternative plans were being made to ensure that operations of the state-run carrier were normalised within two-three months so that the revival plan could be put in place. Observing...
11:56 PM, Jun 07, 2012
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11:38 PM, Jun 07, 2012
New Delhi: After the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), another Congress ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) on Thursday backed the campaign against black money and corruption by Baba Ramdev, who was also supported by Janata Dal-United (JD-U). The yoga guru, who has been meeting political leaders, said he has sought time with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress leader Sonia Gandhi to discuss the issue. Ramdev had earlier met Bharatiya Janata...
10:06 PM, Jun 07, 2012
New Delhi: A day after the Congress appeared going soft on Baba Ramdev, party general secretary Digvijaya Singh on Thursday hit out at the yoga guru asking him to first declare how much black money he possesses before launching a campaign to bring back ill-gotten wealth stashed abroad. "Everything of whatever I had said about Ramdev and Anna Hazare in past has come out to be true. There is a...
06:02 PM, Jun 07, 2012
New Delhi: Congress General Secretary Digvijaya Singh on Thursday made a strong pitch for OBC status to the Jat community ahead of the June 12 by-election in the Jat-dominated Mant assembly segment of Uttar Pradesh where ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD)'s prestige is at stake. "Congress party is in favour of the inclusion of the Jat community of Uttar Pradesh in the central list of OBCs. I and the RLD...
05:40 PM, Jun 07, 2012
New Delhi: Continuing with his campaign against black money, yoga guru Baba Ramdev on Thursday met Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief and Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh. Addressing mediapersons after the meeting, the RLD chief said that it was difficult to get rid of the black money. Pointing to the loopholes, the Civil Aviation minister said, "It is not easy to get rid of black money. There are loopholes in...
05:32 PM, Jun 07, 2012
Continuing with his campaign against black money, Baba Ramdev on Thursday met Aviation Minister Ajit Singh. ...
03:52 PM, Jun 07, 2012
New Delhi: Continuing with his campaign against black money, yoga guru Baba Ramdev will meet INLD chief Aviation Minister Ajit Singh on Thursday. He will also hold discussions with JD(U)leader Sharad Yadav on Thursday evening. Earlier this week, Ramdev met Bharatiya Janata Party President Nitin Gadkari seeking his support for his movement to bring back the black money allegedly stashed abroad. Gadkari extended the BJP's support to Ramdev saying, "Baba...
01:11 PM, Jun 07, 2012
New Delhi: Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh on Wednesday stood his ground on the Air India strike. He snubbed striking pilots, saying they will have to reapply for a job as the airline will hire new pilots. It has been 30 days since the Air India pilot strike began forcing the airline to suspend key international operations. Meanwhile, in Delhi and Mumbai, pilots of the erstwhile Indian Pilots Guild took...
06:39 PM, Jun 06, 2012
New Delhi: The government is finally taking visible steps to end its policy paralysis. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is slated to meet key economic ministers on Wednesday to review their performance. During the meeting, the ministers for Coal, Shipping, Railways, Civil Aviation and Power will be presenting their proposals. The Prime Minister is also expected to present a blueprint and deadline to bring the economy back on track at the...
05:58 PM, Jun 06, 2012
New Delhi: Air India is going to induct about 100 new pilots in the next few months, Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh said on Wednesday while virtually shutting the doors for striking pilots, asking those sacked to apply afresh. Indicating that the 101 sacked pilots could be replaced by new ones, Singh said 90 pilots were currently undergoing training and would be available for flying in August. "We're making sure...
05:28 PM, Jun 06, 2012
New Delhi: Concerned over high service tax substantially raising air ticket prices, Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh has urged Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee to revert to the earlier rates which were capped at Rs 100 and Rs 500 per domestic and international ticket. Noting that jet fuel prices in India were significantly higher than in most parts of the world due to high tax rates, he has also strongly advocated...
05:17 PM, Jun 06, 2012
New Delhi: Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief and Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh on Wednesday described Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee as a "qualified" candidate for the post of President but said his views on others were equally positive. "The Finance Minister is qualified for President. My views are positive on him, but my views are positive on others as well", Singh said after a meeting with Home Minister P Chidambaram....
04:38 PM, Jun 06, 2012
Mumbai: The Air India pilots' strike entered the 30th day on Wednesday and there is still no end to the stand-off between them and the management backed by the Civil Aviation Ministry. The pilots under the de-recognised Indian Pilots Guild have now written to the Air India Chairman saying that a channel of communication needs to be opened up between both sides to resolve the current impasse. The IPG in...
11:24 AM, Jun 06, 2012
New Delhi: With no end in sight to the Air India pilots' strike, the national carrier has firmed up plans to hire new cockpit crew to run its long-haul international operations which have been hit by the 29-day long agitation. Hiring of new batches of pilots is part of a new business plan for international operations, which the ailing carrier is likely to announce on Wednesday. It would be implemented...
03:58 AM, Jun 06, 2012
New Delhi/Mumbai: The Indian Pilots Guild (IPG), leading the Air India pilots' strike, on Saturday said it was ready to set aside all demands to end the strike if the government restored recognition to the union. "As Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh has assured us that our demands will be looked into, we all are ready to set aside our other demands and resume duties forthwith. But then we want...
02:40 AM, Jun 03, 2012
New Delhi: Air India has switched from manual to an electronic crew management system to stop manipulations in the allocation of flight duties to employees. The airline resorted to the electronic roaster system from Friday following directions of Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh. "The new system will ensure high levels of safety of operation, meet regulatory requirements, optimise crew utilisation and achieve crew satisfaction," said a ministry statement. "It (system)...
08:42 PM, Jun 02, 2012
New Delhi: Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh on Friday made public the Dharmadhikari Report and said that the demands of striking Air India pilots will be looked into only after they end their strike unconditionally. Singh also said that the ministry has set up a core panel to implement the recommendations of the Dharmadhikari report on the merger of Indian Airlines and Air India. There will be parity between the...
01:59 PM, Jun 01, 2012
