Heads of state owe Air India Rs 110 cr as travel costs

Government owes over Rs 110 crore ($21.3mn) to cash-strapped Air India for its special flights which ferry VVIPs including the President and the Prime Minister on their visits abroad which it is trying hard to realise.

The national carrier, which is facing financial crunch , has pending bills of 12 special flights for the President, the Vice-President and the Prime Minister which amount to over Rs 110 crore, a Right To Information reply from the carrier said.

It said during July last year, the total outstanding bills were Rs 291 crore ($56.4mn).

"Out of the above amount, recently the government has paid Rs 181.30 crore ($35mn) leaving a balance outstanding amount of Rs 110.60 crore," the reply said.

The records show that two bills are pending with the Defence Ministry for the abroad travel of the President to Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Damascus and Aleppo during November 20-30, 2010, which is Rs 14.5 crore ($2.8mn) and another to Paro via Bagdogra which is Rs 4.45 crore ($0.9mn). The bill to Paro, Bhutan is nearly three years old, the reply dated December 28, 2011 said.

Five bills worth Rs 55.81 crore ($11mn) are pending with the Cabinet Secretariat for the travel of the Prime Minister to Huahin, Thailand during October 23-25, 2009, to Paro, Bhutan during April 27-30, to Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, Hanoi during October 23-30, 2010, to Seoul during November 9-12, 2010 and to Brussels and Berlin during December 8-12, 2010.

The External Affairs Ministry which is responsible for organising the tours of the Vice-President owes Rs 35.79 crore ($7mn) towards the Air India for five tours abroad.

One outstanding bill for the travel of the vice-president to Male, Maldives is pending since November, 2008. The total bill for this trip was Rs 2.77 crore ($0.5mn) of which part payment was done leaving an outstanding of Rs 39 lakh ($75,686).