Observing that foreign airlines were not allowed at present to pick up stake in domestic carriers, Civil Aviation Minister of India Praful Patel said there was a case for reviewing this policy.

There is a case for reviewing this policy as operation of airlines requires expertise as much as capital, Patel said in reply to a question in Lok Sabha.

However, the government was at present not in favour of direct or indirect equity participation by foreign airlines in domestic carriers, Patel said.

To another question, he said the government`s share in the Airports Authority of India is not being divested.

Patel said the draft civil aviation policy, which among other things proposes to cover the policy on air traffic management, was to be finalised through inter-ministerial consultations.

Regarding shortage of air traffic controllers (ATC), the Minister said 229 posts had been created last year and steps to fill up 106 ATC posts were in progress.

Patel said passenger loads in the recent past had gone up by 25 per cent along with cargo traffic. The estimated cargo traffic of Indian Airlines in 2005-06 would grow by 15 per cent from six per cent in 2003-04. (PTI)