Government retreats from airport privatization, effect of Rahul's attack on Adani or preparation for elections?

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is constantly attacking the government for giving preference to the Adani group in the privatization of airports. Now there is news that the government can reduce the speed of airport privatization, while the government has a plan to privatize a total of 25 airports.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is constantly attacking the government for changing the policy of airport privatization and for giving preference to industrialist Gautam Adani in this matter. Meanwhile, there is news that the government may slow down the process of handing over airports to private companies. At the same time, before the 2024 general elections, the possibility of the Union Cabinet reaching any conclusion in this regard is being told less.

Ahmedabad, Guwahati, Lucknow, Mangaluru, Jaipur, Thiruvananthapuram and Mumbai are the airports whose operation is currently with the group of industrialist Gautam Adani. Currently Adani Group is the largest airport operator company in the country, while it already has 14 ports.

Rahul Gandhi is questioning the government regarding the monopoly of Adani Group in this matter. On the other hand, the government and the Adani Group say that everything is legal and has been done through the auction process.

There is no way for privatization before elections

Surrounded by allegations of handing over coal mines, banks, railway stations and ports to private companies, from government companies, the central government may pull back on airport privatization for the time being. ET has reported quoting sources related to this process that the central government can gradually take forward the work of airport privatization.

The Union Cabinet will probably not take any major decision in this regard before the 2024 elections. The source said that the government may not take any decision before the elections, as it takes at least 150 days to complete the auction process, pre-auction talks and other actions.

There are only elections in 2023-24

The years 2023 and 24 are going to be election years in the country. First of all, the assembly elections are to be held in the state of Karnataka. After this, it is the turn of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Telangana assembly elections. At the same time, the election atmosphere of 2024 will start in the beginning of next year itself. Lok Sabha elections are to be held in the country next year.

Privatization of 25 airports

The government has made a plan to hand over a total of 25 airports in the country to private companies. In this, 11 airports have been privatized in the first phase. The Airport Authority of India had released a list in 2021 identifying the remaining airports.

On the basis of this list, the Ministry of Civil Aviation had prepared a cabinet note for airport privatization. In the next phase, privatization of airports like Chennai, Varanasi, Kolkata, Kushinagar, Raipur, Jabalpur, Amritsar, Gaya and Indore is to happen.