Indian Airlines has targetted a profit of Rs 93 crore this year. After suffering huge losses for four consequtive years, the airline had managed a remarkable turnaround and achieved a profit of about Rs 45 crore last year.

Kumar also mentioned that steps taken by the Air India management to reduce losses had shown a positive result, with operational revenue rising from Rs 885.15 crore to Rs 1014.33 crore for the three months ending June, 1998, compared to the corresponding year last year. For the same period, the total revenue had also risen from Rs 929.53 crore to Rs 1046.14 crore, he said.

Kumar reiterated that the government was committed to development and upgradation of airports all across the country with the help of private participation and was ready for joint ventures for infrastructure development in the civil aviation sector.

He said the Rs 418 crore modernised Air Traffic Services (ATS) projects at Delhi and Mumbai airports would be commissioned soon and efforts were on to link smaller airports with regional and international airports to truly achieve ``democratisation of aviation'' in the country.

He said the Rs 140 crore third international terminal at Mumbai airport would be ready by 2000. Members emphasised that airports have to be made economically viable and operational. They pointed out that out of 119 airports only 75 were operational and most of these were running on losses.

Permenant member of the committee and Congress Member of Parliament, Praful Patel, criticised the lackadisical attitude of the Airports Authority of India towards the Mumbai airport. ``Over the years, all services provided at the Mumbai airport have deteriorated. The sorry state of the passenger amenities, and general terminal infrastructure all show that the airport has been languishing in terms of development,'' he said.

The issue of removal of slums from the AAI land at Mumbai has been discussed in almost all meetings of the committee for several years, but apparently nothing has been done, he lamented.