Government used small savings funds to procure Boeing 777 aircraft for VIPs
Funds for procuring and modifying two Boeing 777 aircraft by Air India for use by VVIPs, including the President, the Vice-President and the Prime Minister, had been released from the National Small Savings Funds (NSSF), the government told Parliament on Tuesday.
To questions from A.K. Selvaraj and Ritabrata Banerjee in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha replied: “Air India had sought a short-term loan of $180 million from Bank of Baroda... for the modification of two B-777-300ER aircraft allocated for Special Extra Section Flights (SESF) VVIP operations. However, this loan was not taken as the Government of India has released the required funds from NSSF account.”
To questions from A.K. Selvaraj and Ritabrata Banerjee in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha replied: “Air India had sought a short-term loan of $180 million from Bank of Baroda... for the modification of two B-777-300ER aircraft allocated for Special Extra Section Flights (SESF) VVIP operations. However, this loan was not taken as the Government of India has released the required funds from NSSF account.”